理論

简 理论 · 繁 理論
Mandarin · pinyin lǐ lùn

Meanings

  1. theory
  2. Classifier: 個 gè
  3. to argue
  4. to take notice of
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Characters in this entry

理
lǐ · reason, logic; manage
論
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论
lùn · debate; discuss; discourse
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–4 · li3 lun4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

理論 · find source passages ↗ · 理论 · find source passages ↗

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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

lei5 leon6

Cantonese word readings for 理論. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

  1. (mathematics, physics, literary, politics, etc.) theory
  2. theory (as opposed to practice)
  3. reason

verb

  1. to debate; to argue (with)
  2. to reason things out; to judge between right and wrong
  3. (obsolete) to look after; to tend; to be in charge of

adj

  1. (attributive) theoretical

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack