裂 meaning and stroke order
To split; to crack; to break open
How to write 裂, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 裂
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to split
- to crack
- to break open
- to rend
How 裂 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cloth.
衣 gives the meaning and 列 hints at the sound.
Radical: 衣 (cloth), shared by 33 characters on this site.
How to remember 裂
On top is 列 (liè), which gives the sound, and below is 衣 (yī), clothing. Picture a piece of cloth 衣 being torn into a row of strips, and you have 裂, to split or rip.
裂 describes things splitting, cracking or tearing open, from walls and ice to fabric and relationships. It usually appears in two-character words like 裂开 (lièkāi), 裂缝 (lièfèng) and 分裂 (fēnliè). Example: 墙上有一条裂缝。(Qiáng shang yǒu yì tiáo lièfèng.) There is a crack in the wall.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 裂 with 列 (liè, row) or 烈 (liè, fierce), since all three share the same sound and the 列 part. Check the bottom: 裂 has 衣 (cloth), 烈 has four fire dots 灬.
Common words with 裂
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 分裂 | fēnliè | to split up; to divide | HSK 6 |
| 破裂 | pòliè | to burst; to rupture; (of a relationship etc) to break down | HSK 7-9 |
| 裂缝 | lièfèng | crack; crevice | HSK 7-9 |
| 断裂 | duànliè | fracture; rupture | HSK 7-9 |
| 裂痕 | lièhén | crack; gap | HSK 7-9 |
| 撕裂 | sīliè | to tear; to rip apart | |
| 裂开 | lièkāi | to split open | |
| 爆裂 | bàoliè | to rupture; to burst | |
| 四分五裂 | sìfēnwǔliè | (idiom) fragmented; scattered; in disarray; at sixes and sevens | |
| 碎裂 | suìliè | to disintegrate; to shatter into small pieces | |
| 裂谷 | liègǔ | (geology) rift valley | |
| 裂口 | lièkǒu | breach; split |
裂 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 裂
How many strokes are in 裂?
裂 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 裂 mean?
裂 (liè) means to split; to crack; to break open. A common word with it is 分裂 (fēnliè), meaning "to split up; to divide".
How do you pronounce 裂?
裂 is pronounced liè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 裂?
The radical of 裂 is 衣, which carries the idea of "cloth". Dictionaries list 裂 under this radical.
Is 裂 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 裂 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 裂 be used alone as a verb?
Yes, especially in speech, for example 杯子裂了 (bēizi liè le), the cup cracked. In writing it more often appears in compounds like 裂开 or 破裂.
What is the difference between 裂缝 and 裂痕?
裂缝 (lièfèng) is a physical crack or gap you can see, like in a wall or the ground. 裂痕 (lièhén) is a crack mark and is often used figuratively for a rift between people.