How to Write 梨 (lí) — Meaning “pear”

Imagine a 'tree' (木) that grows 'sharp' fruit (利) — a pear that tastes so good it feels like a profitable find. The top part is the tree, and the bottom part is 利 (lì), which sounds like 'lee' — picture a pear tree standing on a hill with a nice view.

The top '木' should be wide and balanced, with the horizontal stroke crossing the vertical. The bottom '利' has a left side (禾) with a short horizontal stroke and a right side (刂) with a downward vertical stroke. Common mistakes include making the top too narrow or misplacing the third stroke of the bottom — remember to write the '禾' part first, then the knife radical.

枯 means 'withered' and has 木 on the left with 古 (old) on the right, while 枰 is a chessboard made of wood, with 木 on the left and 平 (flat) on the right. In contrast, 梨 has 木 on top and 利 (sharp) below — it is the only one that represents a fruit. Visually, 梨 is taller, while 枯 and 枰 are wider because the tree radical is on the side.

梨 commonly appears in words like 梨子 (pear) and 鸭梨 (a popular pear variety). In Chinese culture, giving a pear can be avoided among friends because 梨 sounds like 离 (to separate), symbolizing unwanted parting. However, pears are enjoyed as a sweet, juicy fruit and are often used in desserts and drinks.

Common words containing 梨 include: 梨子 (lí zi) — pear; 鸭梨 (yā lí) — Yali pear (Duck pear); 梨花 (lí huā) — pear blossom.