厘 (lí) is a Chinese character meaning “one hundredth (of a unit)”. It is written from 厂 (factory; cliff radical) and 里 (inside; li (unit of distance)), one enclosing the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “one hundredth; centi-”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
厂 + 里
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-1 厂 / 2-8 里，共 9 笔）
Memory aid
A cliff-like 厂 leaning over 里. 里 also gives the sound: 里 lǐ → 厘 lí — almost the same syllable, just a different tone.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 厘米lí mǐcentimeter厘 = lí
- 毫厘háo lía hair's breadth; the tiniest amount厘 = lí
Go deeper
All readings
one hundredth; centi-
one hundredth (of a unit); centi-; a tiny amount
计量单位，表示百分之一；也指极小的量。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 厘米lí mǐcentimeter厘 = lí
- 毫厘háo lía hair's breadth; the tiniest amount厘 = lí
Sound component
里 family tone diff
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 厘 mean?
厘 (lí) means one hundredth (of a unit); centi-; a tiny amount.
How do you pronounce 厘?
It is pronounced lí.
What parts is 厘 made of?
厂 (factory; cliff radical) and 里 (inside; li (unit of distance)), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-1 厂 / 2-8 里，共 9 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 厘 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 厘?
厂. 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 厘?
Common ones are 厘米 and 毫厘. The reading of 厘 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.