Definitions

liào (noun) material; ingredient
liào (noun) feed; fodder
liào (verb) to expect; to anticipate; to guess

Etymology

Depicts a ladle () full of rice ().

About

The character combines the semantic component (rice) with the phonetic component (a traditional measuring scoop), forming a picture of a ladle full of rice. This imagery directly reflects its original meaning: to measure grain, particularly for food rations. From measuring physical quantities, the sense broadened to estimating, anticipating, and managing situations. It then came to denote the very materials, ingredients, or resources that are measured, those needed in manufacturing, cooking, or construction. Thus, today encompasses both the act of assessment and the substances being assessed.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是做衣服的材

Zhè shì zuò yīfu de cáiliào.

This is the material for making clothes.

我预他会来。

Wǒ yùliào tā huì lái.

I anticipate he will come.

妈妈在厨房理晚餐。

Māmā zài chúfáng liàolǐ wǎncān.

Mom is preparing dinner in the kitchen.

农民给鸡喂饲

Nóngmín gěi jī wèi sìliào.

The farmer feeds the chickens.

炒菜需要加调

Chǎocài xūyào jiā tiáoliào.

Stir-frying requires adding seasonings.

想今天会下雨。

Wǒ liàoxiǎng jīntiān huì xià yǔ.

I expect it will rain today.

这种布很柔软。

Zhè zhǒng bùliào hěn róuruǎn.

This kind of fabric is very soft.

根据天气报告,我定明天是晴天。

Gēnjù tiānqì bàogào, wǒ liàodìng míngtiān shì qíngtiān.

Based on the weather report, I am sure tomorrow will be sunny.