Chinese word

立

Pronunciation

Pinyinlì

Meaning

  • verbput up

Example

他在公园里立了一座雕像。tā zài gōng yuán lǐ lì le yí zuò diāo xiàng

He put up a statue in the park.

Illustration for 立 (put up)

More examples

几位创业者今天正式成立了一家科技公司。jǐ wèi chuàng yè zhě jīn tiān zhèng shì chéng lì le yì jiā kē jì gōng sī

Several entrepreneurs formally established a technology company today.

Core concept

Sets something upright and in place, then extends to creating a lasting structure such as an institution.

Common phrases

  • 成立公司chéng lì gōng sī

    establish a company

  • 建立联系jiàn lì lián xì

    establish contact

  • 树立信心shù lì xìn xīn

    build confidence

Similar words

建立jiàn lì: Found an institution or create a lasting system or relationship.
树立shù lì: Set an idea, principle, or example in place for people to accept and follow.
竖起shù qǐ: Lift something from a lowered position into a vertical one.
立起来lì qǐ lái: Bring a person or object into an upright position, or become upright.

Definition in Chinese

使某物竖直放置或设立某物；也指建立、创立。shǐ mǒu wù shù zhí fàng zhì huò shè lì mǒu wù yě zhǐ jiàn lì chuàng lì

Word origin

The ancient form of 立 (lì, "stand") depicts a person standing on the ground; its meaning extended to making something stand and then to setting up institutions or other established arrangements.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this verb can sound formal for physically raising an object, so spoken Chinese often makes the action or result more explicit.

Other meanings

  • establishverb
  • installverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word