璉 (liǎn) - Lian — a ceremonial vessel used in ancient & also used in names meaning 'successor' or 'heir'.

璉Tone 3

liǎn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

璉 · liǎn

Lian — a ceremonial vessel used in ancient Chinese rituals;

also used in names meaning 'successor' or 'heir'.

Lian — a ceremonial vessel used in ancientalso used in names meaning 'successor' or 'heir'.

Usage highlights

Ritual vesselJade lianSuccessor lianZhou dynasty lianAncestral lianCeremonial lian

Synonyms

  • 瑚— hu vessel (often paired with lian)
  • 器— vessel, utensil
  • 嗣— heir, successor

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancestral hall displayed the ritual vessel (琏器).
  • He is the designated successor (承琏) to the family business.
  • This jade vessel (玉琏) dates back to the Zhou dynasty.
  • The character appears in classical texts like the Analects (论语).

Collocations

  • Ritual vessel(琏器)
  • Jade lian(玉琏)
  • Successor lian(承琏)
  • Zhou dynasty lian(周琏)
  • Ancestral lian(宗琏)
  • Ceremonial lian(礼琏)

Idioms

  • What is called a lian vessel(瑚琏之器)
  • The vessel of the ancestral temple(宗庙之琏)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to a specific type of ritual vessel used in ancestral worship ceremonies during the Zhou dynasty.
  • By extension, came to symbolize a worthy successor or heir who could carry on family traditions.
  • Mentioned in Confucian classics as a metaphor for a person of great talent and virtue.

FAQ