璃 (lí) - Glass & crystal

璃Tone 2

lí ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

璃 · lí

Glass;

crystal;

refers to glass-like materials, often used in compounds describing glass, crystal, or jade-like substances.

Glasscrystalrefers to glass-like materials, often used in compounds

Usage highlights

GlassColored glazeCrystal glassGlasswareGlass beadGlass craft

Synonyms

  • 玻璃— Glass (more common modern term)
  • 水晶— Crystal (emphasizing clarity and hardness)

Antonyms

  • 石— Stone (opaque and solid vs. transparent and fragile)
  • 铁— Iron (strong and durable vs. fragile)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The window is made of glass (玻璃).
  • She wore a crystal necklace (水晶璃).
  • This is colored glaze (琉璃).
  • The glassware is fragile (璃器).

Collocations

  • Glass(玻璃)
  • Colored glaze(琉璃)
  • Crystal glass(水晶璃)
  • Glassware(璃器)
  • Glass bead(璃珠)
  • Glass craft(璃工艺)

Idioms

  • Broken glass cannot be made whole(破璃难圆)
  • As clear as glass(明若璃镜)
  • Fragile as glass(脆若璃器)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 璃 originally referred to a type of natural glass or colored glaze, often associated with luxury and craftsmanship.
  • In traditional Chinese culture,琉璃 (colored glaze) was highly valued in architecture and art, especially in Buddhist temples.
  • The character often appears in poetic contexts to describe transparency, fragility, or beauty.

FAQ