例 (lì) is a Chinese character meaning “example”. It is written from 亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 列 (to arrange in a row; a row, a series), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “example”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
亻 + 列
Left–right structure
- 亻 person (the form 人 takes on the left) · rén meaning
- 列 to arrange in a row; a row, a series · liè sound
Structure from: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰亻列; 列 = ⿰歹刂), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 2+6=8 and 4+2=6
Memory aid
A person (亻) standing next to a row (列). Both parts really are in this character: pull one person out of the line-up and hold them up — that one is your example.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 例子lì zian example例 = lìHSK 4
- 例如lì rúfor example; such as例 = lìHSK 4
- 惯例guàn lìconvention; usual practice例 = lì
Go deeper
All readings
example
example; instance; case; precedent; rule
用来说明情况的事例；也指成规、惯例。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 例子lì zian example例 = lìHSK 4
- 例如lì rúfor example; such as例 = lìHSK 4
- 惯例guàn lìconvention; usual practice例 = lì
Sound component
列 family rime near
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 例 mean?
例 (lì) means example; instance; case; precedent; rule.
How do you pronounce 例?
It is pronounced lì.
What parts is 例 made of?
亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 列 (to arrange in a row; a row, a series), side by side. The recorded source is: modern-glyph decomposition (IDS ⿰亻列; 列 = ⿰歹刂), cross-checked against hanzi-writer-data stroke counts 2+6=8 and 4+2=6. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 例 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 例?
人. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 例?
Common ones are 例子 and 例如. The reading of 例 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.