How to Write 里 (lǐ) — Meaning “inside; in; li (Chinese unit of distance)”

Picture a field (田) with a line of soil (土) underneath — think of being 'inside' the field. Alternatively, imagine the bottom stroke as a road leading into the field, helping you remember 'inside' or 'in'.

Write the top 田 first as a box with a cross inside, then below it add the 土 (horizontal line, vertical line, bottom horizontal). A common mistake is making the 田 too tall or the two sections unbalanced — keep the 田 compact and centered over the 土.

里 has 7 strokes and a simple two-level structure (field + soil), while 重 has 9 strokes with an extra horizontal line at the top and a longer vertical stroke running through the whole character. In meaning, 里 is about location or distance (e.g., 'inside,' 'kilometer'), while 重 means 'heavy' or 'again.'

里 is extremely common for location, like 家里 (at home) and 里面 (inside). It also appears as a unit of distance in 公里 (kilometer). Culturally, you’ll see it in place names such as 城里 (inside the city), preserving its old meaning of 'village' or 'neighborhood.'

Common words containing 里 include: 家里 (jiā lǐ) — At home; 公里 (gōng lǐ) — Kilometer; 里面 (lǐ miàn) — Inside.