肋 (lèi) is a Chinese character meaning “rib”. It is written from 月 (moon; month) and 力 (strength; power), side by side, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “rib”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
月 + 力
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰月力；笔画核验 月4 + 力2 = 6）
Memory aid
The flesh form 月 on the left, 力 (strength) on the right: ribs are the bones of flesh that keep the chest strong.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 肋骨lèi gǔrib; rib bone肋 = lèi
- 鸡肋jī lèichicken ribs — something of little value that one is still reluctant to give up肋 = lèi
Go deeper
All readings
rib
rib; the side of the chest
胸部两侧的骨头，也指胸的侧面。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 肋骨lèi gǔrib; rib bone肋 = lèi
- 鸡肋jī lèichicken ribs — something of little value that one is still reluctant to give up肋 = lèi
Sound component
力 family rime near
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 肋 mean?
肋 (lèi) means rib; the side of the chest.
How do you pronounce 肋?
It is pronounced lèi.
What parts is 肋 made of?
月 (moon; month) and 力 (strength; power), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（IDS ⿰月力；笔画核验 月4 + 力2 = 6）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 肋 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 肋?
月. 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 肋?
Common ones are 肋骨 and 鸡肋. The reading of 肋 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.