How to Write 猁 (lì) — Meaning “lynx”

Imagine a lynx (犭) standing next to a sharp knife (利) because lynxes have very sharp claws and teeth. The "sharp" part (利) reminds you both of the sound lì and the animal's dangerous nature. This visual link helps you recall that 猁 means lynx.

Write the left radical 犭 first with three strokes: a left-falling stroke, a hook, and a right-falling stroke (like a dog). Then write 利 on the right: first the 禾 (grain) with 5 strokes, then the 刂 (knife) with 2 strokes, totaling 10 strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide—keep 禾 narrow so the whole character stays balanced.

猁 (lì, lynx) has the phonetic 利, while 狉 (pī, a type of wild animal) has the phonetic 丕 (pī) on the right, and 狊 (jú, meaning "great" or a monkey-like beast) has the phonetic 犬 inside. Visually, look at the right side: 利 ends with a knife (刂), 丕 has a different bottom, and 狊 contains the character 犬 (dog) inside.

猁 is almost exclusively used in the word 猞猁 (shē lì), meaning "lynx." It appears in zoology contexts or in phrases like 猞猁皮 (lynx fur) when discussing fur trade or animal products. This character is not part of HSK vocabulary and is rare in daily life, so learners will mostly encounter it in nature documentaries or wildlife articles.

Common words containing 猁 include: 猞猁 (shē lì) — lynx; 小猞猁 (xiǎo shē lì) — baby lynx; 猞猁皮 (shē lì pí) — lynx fur; lynx pelt.