What does "li" mean?
The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters).
Li
/liː/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters).
- Grammar: li is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: 51, atomic number 3, chemical element lithium, chinese mile.
- Useful contrasts: given name, ili, kilometer.
- Usage evidence: Li Bai's work is the most famous of Chinese poetry.
How to use "li"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "li" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "li" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "li" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "li" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "li" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "51" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "li", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters).
"It was a whole day's journey from I-ch'eng to Chü-wo which, in turn, is about 60 li east of Chiang Chou — one of the most important cities in southern Shansi and a center for curio-dealers."
- 2 A traditional Chinese unit of weight, equal to one-thousandth of a liang, or fifty milligrams.
- 3 A meaningful ceremony or ritual; etiquette, behaviour. Chinese
- 4 An ancient Chinese cauldron having three hollow legs.
- 5 In solfège, the raised sixth note of a major scale (the note A-sharp in the fixed-do system). uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Abbreviation of love interest. abbreviation, alt-of
- 7 Chinese distance measure; approximately 0.5 kilometers wordnet
- 8 The Korean mile, a traditional unit of distance equivalent to about 393 m.
"While scaling the Laoyeling Mountains, the Chinese Worker-Peasant Red Army, under the command of Mao Ze-dong and Zhu De, was successfully stepping up the historic 25 000-li Long March in China proper, breaking through the surrounding rings formed by Chiang Kai-shek’s army."
- 9 a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals wordnet
Adjective
- 1 being one more than fifty wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Chinese
"Under the post, Li shared screenshots of private messages he received from followers who said they were interrogated by police."
- 2 A surname from Chinese
- 3 A surname from Chinese
- 4 A county of Longnan, Gansu, China.
"The West Hanshui River flows through the flatland of Qishan Township east of Lixian County, Gansu Province.[…] Zhuge launched his first northern expedition. He arrived at Qishan Mountain in Lixian County, where he set up his headquarters on the shore of the West Hanshui River."
- 5 A river in Guangxi, China.
"After breakfast the next day, Ho Li-chih came to invite Yang Shu-tien and me to the Li River for a boat trip to another county, Yang-shuo."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A surname from Korean, a variant of Lee and Rhee
Synonyms
All synonyms 51atomic number 3chemical element lithiumchinese milechinese surnamechinese unit of distance
Example
"Li Bai's work is the most famous of Chinese poetry."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "li"?
Common synonyms include: 51, atomic number 3, chemical element lithium, chinese mile, chinese surname, chinese unit of distance.
How do you use "li" in a sentence?
Li Bai's work is the most famous of Chinese poetry.
How do you pronounce "li"?
Pronounced /liː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
An early romanization of Chinese Mandarin 里 (lǐ). As a Korean unit, via the Yale romanization of Korean 리 (ri), from the Chinese distance.
Etymology 2
From Mandarin 市厘 (lí).
Etymology 3
From Mandarin 禮 /礼 (lǐ).
Etymology 4
From Mandarin 鬲 (lì).
Etymology 5
Altered from la, with the vowel changed to signify a raised note.
Etymology 6
Transcription of 李 (Lǐ)
Etymology 7
Transcription of 黎 (Lí)
Etymology 8
Transcription of 理 (Lǐ)
Etymology 9
From Mandarin 禮 /礼 (Lǐ).
Etymology 10
Transcription of 漓 (Lí)
Etymology 11
From Korean 이(李) (I) and 리(李) (Ri).
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