How to Write 沥 (lì) — Meaning “to drip; to strain”

Imagine water (氵) slowly dripping through a calendar (历) — each day a drop falls, reminding you of "drip." Alternatively, picture a sieve labeled 历 used to strain liquid, connecting the character to both dripping and straining.

Write the left radical 氵 first as three dots in a diagonal line. Then write the right side 历: start with the 厂 (cliff) stroke, followed by 力 (power). A common mistake is confusing the order of the right side; remember 厂 comes before 力, and do not add extra strokes to 力.

The character 沥 (lì) has the right component 历, while 㳄 (xián) has 欠 (related to mouth) and means "saliva," and 氿 (guǐ) has 九 and means "spring water." Visually, 沥's right side looks like 历, whereas the others use different radicals; their meanings also differ — 沥 is about dripping or straining liquid.

沥 appears in common words like 沥青 (asphalt) and the idiom 呕心沥血, which means "to work with great care or dedication." It is not an HSK character, so it is more common in technical or literary contexts rather than everyday conversation.

Common words containing 沥 include: 沥青 (lì qīng) — asphalt; bitumen; 呕心沥血 (ǒu xīn lì xuè) — to shed one's heart's blood / to work with great care; 滴沥 (dī lì) — to drip; sound of dripping.