How to Write 莉 (lì) — Meaning “Jasmine (short for 茉莉)”

Imagine a grassy plant (艹) that gives you a "benefit" (利) because it smells wonderful — that is jasmine. You can also remember that "Li" sounds like "lee" and think of a sweet-scented "lee" in the garden.

Write the top radical 艹 first: a horizontal line, a vertical line, then another horizontal line. Then write the bottom part 利: start with the left side 禾 (grain) making sure the top stroke is short, then the right side 刂 (knife) as a vertical line with a slight hook. Keep the top part smaller and the bottom larger.

All three have the grass radical 艹, but the bottom parts are different. 莉 uses 利 (benefit), 兹 uses 玄 (mysterious), and 苑 uses 夗 (a measure word). Visually, 莉's bottom is wider with 禾 and 刂, while 兹 is more compact and 苑 looks like a garden enclosure.

莉 is rarely used alone; it mainly appears in the word for jasmine: 茉莉 (mò lì). It is also common in names, like 莉莉 (Lily). In Chinese culture, jasmine tea (茉莉茶) is very popular and represents elegance and purity, often enjoyed during gatherings.

Common words containing 莉 include: 茉莉 (mò lì) — Jasmine; 茉莉茶 (mò lì chá) — Jasmine tea; 莉莉 (lì lì) — Lily (a name).