How to Write 厉 (lì) — Meaning “severe or strict”

Imagine a strict factory manager standing on a cliff (厂) and shouting at ten thousand (万) workers — that severe person is very "厉" (strict). The visual of a cliff and the number ten thousand helps link the shape to the meaning of harshness or severity. This mnemonic uses both the radical and the inner component to fix the character in your memory.

Write the left-falling stroke of 厂 as a smooth, slightly slanted line from top to bottom, then the horizontal stroke of 厂 should be level but not too long. Inside, the 万 component begins with a horizontal stroke that sits under the roof of 厂, followed by a curved hook and a short stroke — make sure the hook does not extend too far right. A common mistake is writing the inner 万 too wide, which throws off the balance; keep it compact.

Both 仄 (zè, narrow/uneasy) and 厃 (wēi, dangerous, an archaic variant) share the same radical 厂 but differ inside. 仄 has a person (人) inside, suggesting someone squeezed in a narrow space, while 厃 has a person on top (?) — actually 厃 is an old form of 危 (dangerous). In contrast, 厉 contains 万 (ten thousand) and means "severe" or "strict," not narrow or dangerous. Visually, remember 厉 has a hook in 万, while 仄 has a simple 人 and 厃 is rare in modern texts.

厉 commonly appears in words like 厉害 (lì hai, formidable/terrible) and 严厉 (yán lì, strict/harsh), often describing situations, people, or actions that are intense or severe. In Chinese culture, calling someone 厉 can carry a neutral or negative tone, but 鼓励 (gǔ lì, to encourage) shows a positive twist where "厉" contributes to the idea of motivating forcefully. Note that 厉 is also an ancient personal name, but today it is rarely used alone and mostly appears in these compound words.

Common words containing 厉 include: 厉害 (lì hài) — formidable or severe; 严厉 (yán lì) — Severe / Harsh; 鼓励 (gǔ lì) — to encourage.