DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
理
Mandarin · pinyin lǐ
Meanings
- texture
- grain (of wood)
- inner essence
- intrinsic order
- reason
- logic
- truth
- science
- natural science (esp. physics)
- to manage
- to pay attention to
- to run (affairs)
- to handle
- to put in order
- to tidy up
Characters in this entry
- 理
- lǐ · reason, logic; manage
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
3 · li3
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
1character link39same-tone records
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.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.
Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 10 senses · 1 Cantonese reading
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
lei5
Cantonese word readings for 理. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
character
- (obsolete) to cut and polish jade
- to put in order; to tidy up
- to manage; to run; to handle
- (usually in negative) to pay attention to; to care about
- (Cantonese) to concern oneself with; to interfere with
- texture; grain (of wood)
- reason; logic; truth; science
- natural science
- a surname
- (obsolete) envoy; jail-official; matchmaker
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack