煉 (liàn) - To smelt, refine, purify & to temper (as in steel)

煉Tone 4

liàn ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

煉 · liàn

To smelt, refine, purify;

to temper (as in steel);

to train rigorously;

to practice alchemy.

To smelt, refine, purifyto temper (as in steel)to train rigorously

Usage highlights

Smelt steelRefine/purifyPractice/trainTemperAlchemyForge iron

Synonyms

  • 锻— to forge, temper (metal)
  • 冶— to smelt, metallurgy
  • 熬— to boil down, decoct (herbs, similar process)

Antonyms

  • 腐— to rot, decay (opposite of purification)
  • 污— to pollute, defile (opposite of refining)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The factory smelts steel (炼钢).
  • He practices martial arts diligently (炼武).
  • This process purifies the metal (炼金).
  • She trains her body through exercise (炼体).

Collocations

  • Smelt steel(炼钢)
  • Refine/purify(提炼)
  • Practice/train(修炼)
  • Temper(锤炼)
  • Alchemy(炼丹)
  • Forge iron(炼铁)

Idioms

  • Tempered through repeated trials(千锤百炼)
  • Refine the essence and cultivate the spirit(炼精化气)
  • True gold fears no fire(真金不怕火炼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with traditional Chinese alchemy (炼丹术), seeking immortality through elixirs.
  • In martial arts and Daoist practice, refers to rigorous self-cultivation of body and spirit (修炼).
  • Metallurgical sense reflects ancient Chinese advancements in metalworking.

FAQ