裏 (裏) - Inside, inner part, lining & interior

裏Tone 5

裏 ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

裏 · 裏

Inside, inner part, lining;

interior;

within;

used to indicate location or time within something.

Inside, inner part, lininginteriorwithin

Usage highlights

Inside the houseInside the bagIn my heartIn the bookIn the cityIn the dream

Synonyms

  • 内— inside, internal
  • 中— middle, within

Antonyms

  • 外— outside, external
  • 表— surface, exterior

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The lining of the clothes is soft (衣服的裏子很柔软).
  • He was working inside the house (他在屋子裏工作).
  • There is a garden inside the courtyard (院子裏有个花园).
  • She put the letter inside the envelope (她把信放在信封裏).

Collocations

  • Inside the house(屋子裏)
  • Inside the bag(袋子裏)
  • In my heart(心裏)
  • In the book(書裏)
  • In the city(城市裏)
  • In the dream(夢裏)

Idioms

  • Be at a loss what to do(心裏沒底)
  • Have an idea in mind(心裏有數)
  • Worried and anxious(心裏不安)
  • Keep in the dark(蒙在鼓裏)
  • Have a guilty conscience(心裏有鬼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 裏 is the traditional form of 里, representing the concept of interior space and inner experience in Chinese philosophy.
  • In traditional Chinese architecture, the distinction between inside (裏) and outside (外) reflects important spatial and social boundaries.
  • The character appears in many expressions related to emotions and thoughts, reflecting the Chinese cultural connection between heart/mind and interior space.

FAQ