立

lì

HSK 3.0 6

Rank #197

Definitions

lì (verb) to stand

lì (verb) to establish; to set up

lì (adverb) immediately; at once

Etymology

Pictograph of a person standing on the ground.

About

The character "立" originated as a pictograph of a person standing firmly on the ground, a depiction which, through structural stylization, became reduced to a single horizontal line representing the earth beneath a standing human figure. This original pictographic sense of "to stand" naturally extended to more abstract meanings such as "to set up", "to establish", and "to institute", capturing the moment something comes into being or a position is taken. Its core graphical structure, a simple composition of a horizontal base supporting a vertical form, has remained consistent in its traditional form, visually reinforcing the concept of stability and foundation. Over time, while retaining its primary verbal meanings, the character also developed nominal uses, signifying an immediate moment as in "立刻" (immediately) or a distinct position or status. This semantic journey from a concrete physical posture to a broad range of abstract concepts of inception and presence demonstrates the conceptual expansion built upon its foundational form.