瀝 (lì) - To drip & to trickle

瀝Tone 4

lì ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

瀝 · lì

To drip;

to trickle;

to strain;

to filter;

to percolate;

also refers to a thick, viscous liquid or residue.

To dripto trickleto strain

Usage highlights

To drip waterAsphalt/pitchTo strain liquidDripping wetTo percolate coffeeResidual oil

Synonyms

  • 滴— to drip
  • 滤— to filter
  • 渗— to seep, to ooze

Antonyms

  • 涌— to gush, to surge
  • 淹— to flood, to inundate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Rainwater drips from the eaves (雨水从屋檐滴沥).
  • The chef strained the soup (厨师沥汤).
  • Pitch is a sticky, tar-like substance (沥青是一种粘稠物质).
  • The patient was perspiring profusely (病人大汗淋漓).

Collocations

  • To drip water(沥水)
  • Asphalt/pitch(沥青)
  • To strain liquid(沥干)
  • Dripping wet(淋漓)
  • To percolate coffee(沥滤咖啡)
  • Residual oil(沥油)

Idioms

  • Extremely frightened, scared out of one's wits(沥胆抽肠)
  • To work one's heart out(沥胆披肝)
  • Dripping with sweat(披肝沥胆)
  • To state one's views frankly(沥胆濯肝)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character is associated with purification processes, such as straining liquids to remove impurities.
  • Used metaphorically in idioms to describe extreme sincerity or effort, as in 'spilling one's guts' (沥胆).
  • Appears in technical contexts like 'asphalt' (沥青) for road construction.

FAQ