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洌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
洌lièclear, pure; to cleanseg, 9 strokes, radical 氵
liè(lie4) T4
  1. 1clear, pure; to cleanse
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

洌liè(lie4)

The character 洌 (liè) refers to something that is clear or pure, often used in contexts related to water or cleanliness. It can also imply the act of cleansing or purifying something, making it suitable for various formal and poetic uses.

Strokes9Radical氵
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, water is often associated with purity and cleansing, symbolizing renewal and clarity in both physical and spiritual contexts. The use of 洌 in poetry emphasizes the beauty of nature and the importance of purity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a clear stream (the water radical 水) flowing through a beautiful landscape, symbolizing purity and clarity. The phonetic component 'liè' can remind you of 'let', as in 'let the water cleanse'. Visualize letting clear water wash away impurities.

Meanings of 洌

liè(lie4)
1clear, pure; to cleanse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 洌

洌Simplified
9Strokes
氵Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 洌

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Podcast: 洌

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AI Study Notes for 洌

Quick Contrast

清 (qīng) vs 澄 (chéng) — use 洌 (liè) for a more formal or poetic context, while 清 (qīng) is more common and straightforward for clarity.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 洌 with similar-sounding words or characters such as 清 (qīng), which also means clear but has a broader usage. This character is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation, so it's important to understand its nuanced context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 洌 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other words related to clarity and purity, such as 清 (qīng) and 净 (jìng). Students should focus on the contexts in which this word appears, particularly in literary or formal texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 洌 with similar characters due to pronunciation or meaning. For instance, using 洌 in casual conversation instead of 清 (qīng) can sound overly formal or literary. Always consider the context to avoid sounding unnatural.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 洌

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Etymology of 洌

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

water

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 洌

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half列 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 洌? 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 洌?

Decomposition of 洌

IDS Structure⿰氵列
洌Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
列lie4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 洌?

How to say clear, pure; to cleanse in Chinese

“clear, pure; to cleanse” in Chinese is洌liè

The character 洌 (liè) refers to something that is clear or pure, often used in contexts related to water or cleanliness. It can also imply the act of cleansing or purifying something, making it suitable for various formal and poetic uses.

When to use 洌

Learners often confuse 洌 with similar-sounding words or characters such as 清 (qīng), which also means clear but has a broader usage. This character is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation, so it's important to understand its nuanced context.

洌 or something close to it

清 (qīng) vs 澄 (chéng) — use 洌 (liè) for a more formal or poetic context, while 清 (qīng) is more common and straightforward for clarity.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 洌 with similar characters due to pronunciation or meaning. For instance, using 洌 in casual conversation instead of 清 (qīng) can sound overly formal or literary. Always consider the context to avoid sounding unnatural.

Write 洌

洌

Practice writing 洌 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 洌

Words Containing This Character1
洌lièpure
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 洌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 洌

While both characters refer to clarity, 洌 often emphasizes purity and is used in more formal contexts, whereas 清 is more commonly used in daily conversation.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 洌?

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