Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

set up; to stand

Chinese: 站立、建立。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “li” becomes a different word in each tone. 立 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 建立jiàn lìto establish; to set up; to found
  • 立刻lì kèimmediately; at once; right away
  • 成立chéng lìto establish; to set up; to be tenable; to hold water
  • 设立shè lìto set up; to establish
  • 立即lì jíimmediately

Example Sentence

他立在窗前看风景。Tā lì zài chuāng qián kàn fēng jǐng.He stood by the window looking at the scenery.

heto standzàiatchuāngwindowqiánfrontkànto look after风景fēng jǐngscenery

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

A pictograph of a person standing with feet planted on the ground — the bottom line is the ground. It means ‘to stand’.

A way to remember it

A figure planted firmly on a baseline — standing.

Easy to confuse with

  • xīn‘Bitter / toil’: 立 with extra strokes added below.