莅 meaning and stroke order
Attend, be present; arrive at
How to write 莅, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 莅
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to attend (an official function)
- to be present
- to administer
- to approach (esp. as administrator)
- variant of 蒞|莅[li4], to attend
How 莅 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A place 位 where grass 艹 grows; 立 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 艹 (grass), shared by 421 characters on this site.
How to remember 莅
Picture the grass radical 艹 on top of 位 (wèi, a seat or position). An important guest arrives and takes their seat 位 at a garden event under the grass, so 莅 (lì) means to be present or arrive.
莅 is formal and almost always appears in the set word 莅临 (lìlín), used to welcome or announce the arrival of a respected guest or official. You see it on banners, invitations, and in speeches. 欢迎各位领导莅临指导 (huānyíng gèwèi lǐngdǎo lìlín zhǐdǎo) Welcome, leaders, to visit and give guidance.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 莅 as wèi because of the 位 inside it, but it is pronounced lì, matching the 立 part. Also, do not use 莅临 about yourself. It is an honorific for other people's arrival, so say 我来了 (wǒ lái le), not 我莅临了.
Common words with 莅
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 莅临 | lìlín | to arrive (esp. of notable person); to visit (more formal than 光臨|光临[guang1 lin2]) |
Questions about 莅
How many strokes are in 莅?
莅 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 莅 mean?
莅 (lì) means attend, be present; arrive at. A common word with it is 莅临 (lìlín), meaning "to arrive (esp. of notable person); to visit (more formal than 光臨|光临[guang1 lin2])".
How do you pronounce 莅?
莅 is pronounced lì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 莅?
The radical of 莅 is 艹, which carries the idea of "grass". Dictionaries list 莅 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 莅?
The traditional form of 莅 is 涖 and 蒞. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 莅 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 莅临 and 光临?
Both politely describe someone's visit. 光临 (guānglín) is common in shops and everyday hospitality, as in 欢迎光临. 莅临 is more formal and is usually used for officials, leaders, or distinguished guests at official events.
Can 莅 be used on its own in modern Chinese?
Rarely. In modern Chinese it lives mainly in 莅临. Older or very literary texts use it alone with senses like to attend or to administer, but learners can treat 莅临 as the word to know.