How to Write 轹 (lì) — Meaning “To run over; to trample”

Imagine a vehicle (车) playing loud music (乐) as it cruelly runs over something on the road. The strange image of a musical car trampling things helps link the shape and meaning. This visual trick makes the uncommon character easier to recall.

First write the left radical 车 with strokes: horizontal, left-falling, horizontal, vertical. Then write the right side 乐: dot, horizontal, vertical, dot, horizontal. Keep the left part narrow and the right part wider. A common mistake is making the 车 radical too big or forgetting the second dot inside 乐.

轹 (lì) has 乐 on the right and means "to run over," while 斩 (zhǎn) has 斤 (axe) on the right and means "to behead." 軎 (wèi) has a different right part (related to a wheel ornament) and refers to an ancient axle cap. Visually, only 轹 contains the 乐 component, so focus on that detail to tell them apart.

轹 is not a common everyday character, but it appears in formal or literary words like 凌轹 (líng lì), which means "to bully or oppress." You might also see it in classical texts describing chariots trampling over enemies. Because of this dramatic meaning, it carries a strong sense of forceful domination when used.

Common words containing 轹 include: 轹 (lì) — To run over; to trample; 凌轹 (líng lì) — to bully; to trample upon; 轹轹 (lì lì) — Sound of wheels rolling.