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驪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
驪lía pure-black horse; a pair of horsesx, 29 strokes, radical 馬
lí(li2) T2
  1. 1a pure-black horse; a pair of horses
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

驪lí(li2)

The character 驪 (lí) refers to a pure-black horse, often associated with nobility or strength in Chinese literature. It can also denote a pair of horses, symbolizing companionship or teamwork. This character is typically used in poetic or formal contexts rather than everyday conversation.

Strokes29Radical馬
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the color of a horse often signified its importance, and a black horse was seen as a symbol of power and prestige. The character 驪 reflects this cultural reverence for horses in Chinese history and mythology.

Memory Tip

Imagine a majestic black horse galloping through a dark forest at night. The character 驪 has the horse radical (马) and the component for 'black' (黑), which can help you remember its meaning: a striking black horse! The pronunciation 'lí' sounds like 'lee', as in the sound a horse makes when it gallops.

Meanings of 驪

lí(li2)
1a pure-black horse; a pair of horses
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 驪

驪Simplified
29Strokes
馬Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 驪

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Podcast: 驪

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AI Study Notes for 驪

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 驪 with other horse-related characters, such as 马 (mǎ), which means horse in general. This term is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversation. Pay attention to the tone: 驪 is pronounced with a rising tone (lí), which is crucial for correct usage.

HSK Study Tips

Although 驪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it complements the study of horse-related terms and poetry in Chinese literature. Students should focus on recognizing the character and its components, as understanding the radicals can aid in memorization and context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 驪 as 马 (mǎ), which means horse more generally. It's important to remember that 驪 specifically refers to a black horse or a pair of horses.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 驪

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Etymology of 驪

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

horse

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 驪

  1. 1The meaning half馬 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half麗 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorse
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 驪? 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 驪?

Decomposition of 驪

IDS Structure⿰馬麗
驪Full Character
=
馬ma3
left
麗li4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 驪?

How to say a pure-black horse; a pair of horses in Chinese

“a pure-black horse; a pair of horses” in Chinese is驪lí

The character 驪 (lí) refers to a pure-black horse, often associated with nobility or strength in Chinese literature. It can also denote a pair of horses, symbolizing companionship or teamwork. This character is typically used in poetic or formal contexts rather than everyday conversation.

When to use 驪

Learners often confuse 驪 with other horse-related characters, such as 马 (mǎ), which means horse in general. This term is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversation. Pay attention to the tone: 驪 is pronounced with a rising tone (lí), which is crucial for correct usage.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 驪 as 马 (mǎ), which means horse more generally. It's important to remember that 驪 specifically refers to a black horse or a pair of horses.

Write 驪

驪

Practice writing 驪 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 驪

Words Containing This Character3
骊líblack horse驪
骊山Mt Li near Xi'an with the tomb of the First Emperor驪山
探骊得珠to see through to the nub探驪得珠
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 骊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 驪

No, 驪 is mostly found in literary works and formal contexts, rather than in daily speech.

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