Definitions

lüe (noun) summary; outline
lüe (noun) plan; strategy
lüe (adverb) slightly; somewhat
lüe (verb) to summarize; to omit
lüe (verb) to rob; to plunder

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "demarcate land boundaries". The meaning later shifted to "outline" and "approximately".

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 略 consists of the field radical 田 on the left and the phonetic element 各 on the right. Its original meaning related to agricultural administration, dividing or surveying farmland, which explains the field radical. This concept of land management gradually expanded into broader administrative and military contexts, shifting the primary definition toward planning or strategy. From the idea of a strategic overview, the meaning further extended to denote something brief or summarized, eventually leading to its modern sense of omitting or keeping content concise.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

细节可能会犯错。

Hūlüè xìjié kěnéng huì fàncuò.

Ignoring details might lead to mistakes.

他对这个计划有耳闻。

Tā duì zhège jìhuà lüè yǒu ěrwén.

He has heard a little about this plan.

这本书微有点枯燥。

Zhè běn shū lüèwēi yǒudiǎn kūzào.

This book is a little bit dull.

我们需要制定一个策

Wǒmen xūyào zhìdìng yī gè cèlüè.

We need to formulate a strategy.

请大描述一下你的想法。

Qǐng dàlüè miáoshù yīxià nǐ de xiǎngfǎ.

Please roughly describe your idea.

两队的实力有差距。

Liǎng duì de shílì lüè yǒu chājù.

There is a slight gap in the strength of the two teams.

历史书上简记载了这件事。

Lìshǐ shū shàng jiǎnlüè jìzǎile zhè jiàn shì.

This event was briefly recorded in the history book.

这次侵战争给人民带来了深重苦难。

Zhè cì qīnlüè zhànzhēng gěi rénmín dàiláile shēnzhòng kǔnàn.

This war of aggression brought profound suffering to the people.