厉 (lì) - Strict, severe, rigorous & to sharpen

厉Tone 4

lì ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 厂

俊梁

厉 · lì

Strict, severe, rigorous;

to sharpen;

to encourage;

fierce;

surname Li.

Strict, severe, rigorousto sharpento encourage

Usage highlights

StrictSevereFierceTo encourageTo sharpenSurname Li

Synonyms

  • 严— strict, severe
  • 猛— fierce, violent
  • 烈— intense, fierce

Antonyms

  • 松— loose, lax
  • 宽— lenient, broad
  • 柔— soft, gentle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is very strict (严厉).
  • This is a serious warning (严厉警告).
  • We need to encourage ourselves (厉行).
  • The storm was fierce (厉害的风暴).

Collocations

  • Strict(严厉)
  • Severe(严厉)
  • Fierce(厉害)
  • To encourage(厉行)
  • To sharpen(厉兵)
  • Surname Li(厉)

Idioms

  • To sharpen weapons and feed horses(厉兵秣马)
  • To go all out(厉行节约)
  • To encourage and admonish(厉志贞亮)
  • Stern expression(正颜厉色)
  • To encourage good and punish evil(厉善惩恶)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'whetstone' in ancient Chinese, later extended to mean 'to sharpen' and then 'strict, severe'.
  • As a surname, it ranks among the less common Chinese surnames but has historical significance.
  • In traditional culture, '厉' embodies the virtue of rigor and discipline, often used in contexts requiring strict standards.

FAQ