How to Write 傈 (lì) — Meaning “used in the name of the Lisu ethnic group”

Imagine a person (亻) standing next to a chestnut tree (栗). The Lisu people are known for living in mountainous areas where chestnut trees grow, so picture a Lisu person picking chestnuts. This links the shape to the meaning.

The left radical 亻 must be narrow and tall, with the vertical stroke slightly curving. The right part 栗 has a 覀 (west) on top and 木 (tree) below, and all strokes should fit within a balanced square. A common mistake is making the right side too wide.

傈 specifically refers to the Lisu ethnic group, while 俯 means 'to bow' or 'to look down', and 俱 means 'all' or 'together'. Visually, 傈 uses 栗 (chestnut) on the right, whereas 俯 has 府 (government) and 俱 has 具 (tool). They share the 亻 radical but have completely different meanings.

傈 is almost only used in the names for the Lisu ethnic group, such as 傈僳族 or 傈僳语. The Lisu are one of China's 56 officially recognized ethnic minorities, mainly living in Yunnan and Sichuan. Learning this character helps you understand China's ethnic diversity.

Common words containing 傈 include: 傈僳族 (lì sù zú) — Lisu ethnic group; 傈僳语 (lì sù yǔ) — Lisu language; 傈人 (lì rén) — Lisu people.