炼 (liàn) - To smelt, refine, temper & to train or practice rigorously.

炼Tone 4

liàn ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 火

俊梁

炼 · liàn

To smelt, refine, temper;

to train or practice rigorously.

To smelt, refine, temperto train or practice rigorously.

Usage highlights

To smelt steelTo refine oilTo temper oneselfTo practice martial artsAlchemyRefining furnace

Synonyms

  • 锻— to forge, to hammer
  • 冶— to smelt, metallurgy
  • 精炼— to refine, purification

Antonyms

  • 粗— crude, rough
  • 生— raw, unprocessed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Steel is smelted from iron ore (炼钢).
  • He practices martial arts every day (炼武).
  • This process refines crude oil into gasoline (炼油).
  • Alchemists sought to refine elixirs of life (炼丹).

Collocations

  • To smelt steel(炼钢)
  • To refine oil(炼油)
  • To temper oneself(炼己)
  • To practice martial arts(炼武)
  • Alchemy(炼丹)
  • Refining furnace(炼炉)

Idioms

  • Tempered a hundred times(百炼成钢)
  • True gold fears no fire(真金不怕火炼)
  • Tempered through hardship(千锤百炼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with metallurgy and alchemy, particularly in Daoist practices seeking immortality.
  • The character embodies the concept of improvement through rigorous process and purification.
  • Used metaphorically for personal cultivation and spiritual refinement.

FAQ