Definitions

used in 伶俐[líng lì]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 俐 is structured with the person radical 亻 alongside the component 利, which serves as both a phonetic indicator and a semantic contributor conveying sharpness or benefit. Historically, 俐 has almost exclusively appeared within the compound 伶俐, a term that originally pertained to physical agility and nimbleness in movement, directly drawing from the sense of sharpness inherent in 利. This meaning gradually transitioned from describing bodily dexterity to denoting mental acuity and cleverness, reflecting a broader conceptual shift where the attribute of sharpness was applied to intellectual faculties rather than solely physical ones. While the character itself is a later formation not traceable to the most archaic writing stages, its enduring compositional logic consistently represents a person characterized by the keen qualities suggested by its phonetic element.

Example Sentences Hide

她非常伶

Tā fēicháng línglì.

She is very clever.

这个孩子真伶

Zhège háizi zhēn línglì.

This child is really clever.

他做事很落。

Tā zuòshì hěn lìluo.

He does things very neatly.

妹妹比姐姐更伶

Mèimei bǐ jiějie gèng línglì.

The younger sister is cleverer than the older sister.

落地完成了任务。

Tā lìluo de wánchéngle rènwu.

He completed the task agilely.

虽然年纪小,但他说话很伶

Suīrán niánjì xiǎo, dàn tā shuōhuà hěn línglì.

Although he is young, he speaks very cleverly.

她的回答既伶又得体,赢得了大家的赞赏。

Tā de huídá jì línglì yòu détǐ, yíngdéle dàjiā de zànshǎng.

Her answer was both clever and appropriate, winning everyone's admiration.

只有伶的头脑,才能在这种复杂的情况下做出落的决定。

Zhǐyǒu línglì de tóunǎo, cáinéng zài zhè zhǒng fùzá de qíngkuàng xià zuòchū lìluo de juédìng.

Only with a clever mind can one make agile decisions in such complex situations.