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嫘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嫘léisurnameg, 14 strokes, radical 女
嫘léisurname Leiunknown, 14 strokes, radical 女
léi(Lei2) T2
  1. 1surname
Also a Chinese surname, Lei — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嫘léi(Lei2)

The character 嫘 (léi) is primarily recognized as a surname in Chinese, specifically representing the family name Lei. While it is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it can be encountered in historical texts or genealogies of families with that surname.

Strokes14Radical女
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, surnames carry significant historical and familial importance, often reflecting lineage and heritage. 嫘, while rare, is part of the broader tradition of surnames that connect individuals to their ancestry.

Memory Tip

Picture a Lei (雷) of thunder (雷) striking down and creating a new family name, 嫘. The character has a similar sound to 'lay,' and you can imagine a family laying down roots as they adopt the surname.

Meanings of 嫘

léi(Lei2)
1surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嫘

嫘Simplified
14Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嫘

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Podcast: 嫘

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AI Study Notes for 嫘

Usage Notes

As a surname, 嫘 is not used in everyday conversation, so it's important to recognize it primarily in names or historical contexts. Learners may confuse it with similar-sounding characters, so pay attention to tone and context when encountering surnames.

HSK Study Tips

Although 嫘 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of Chinese surnames and their significance. Focus on recognizing surnames and their cultural implications as you advance in your studies.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 嫘 with 雷 (thunder) due to their similar pronunciation. Remember that 嫘 specifically refers to a surname, while 雷 has its own distinct meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嫘

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Etymology of 嫘

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)累
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嫘

  1. 1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half累 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywoman
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 嫘? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 嫘?

Decomposition of 嫘

IDS Structure⿰女累
嫘Full Character
=
女nü3
left
累Lei2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嫘?

How to say surname in Chinese

“surname” in Chinese is嫘léi

The character 嫘 (léi) is primarily recognized as a surname in Chinese, specifically representing the family name Lei. While it is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it can be encountered in historical texts or genealogies of families with that surname.

When to use 嫘

As a surname, 嫘 is not used in everyday conversation, so it's important to recognize it primarily in names or historical contexts. Learners may confuse it with similar-sounding characters, so pay attention to tone and context when encountering surnames.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 嫘 with 雷 (thunder) due to their similar pronunciation. Remember that 嫘 specifically refers to a surname, while 雷 has its own distinct meaning.

Write 嫘

嫘

Practice writing 嫘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 嫘

Words Containing This Character1
嫘léisurname Lei
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 嫘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嫘

It does not have a specific meaning like some other surnames; it is primarily a family name.

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