冽 (liè) - Cold & icy

冽Tone 4

liè ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 冫

嘹林

冽 · liè

Cold;

icy;

freezing;

describes extremely low temperatures or a biting chill.

Coldicyfreezing

Usage highlights

Icy coldCold windClear and coldBitterly coldCold airFreezing water

Synonyms

  • 冷— cold
  • 寒— chilly, frigid
  • 冻— freezing

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain stream water is icy cold (泉水冽).
  • A bitterly cold wind (冽风) blew across the plain.
  • He shivered in the freezing air (冽冽寒气).

Collocations

  • Icy cold(冽冽)
  • Cold wind(冽风)
  • Clear and cold(清冽)
  • Bitterly cold(寒冽)
  • Cold air(冽气)
  • Freezing water(冽泉)

Idioms

  • As cold as ice(凛冽)
  • Biting wind(寒风凛冽)
  • Clear and cold spring(泉甘而冽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry to describe winter scenes or the chill of mountain streams.
  • Carries connotations of purity and clarity, as cold things were often associated with cleanliness in classical literature.

FAQ