粒

lì

立 + 米

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

lì (noun) grain; granule

lì (classifier) classifier for small round things (pills, seeds, bullets)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 立 represents the sound.

Semantic: 米 Phonetic: 立

About

The character 粒 is a phonosemantic compound: the left side, 米 (mǐ, 'rice'), provides the semantic category of grains and small granular objects, while the right side, 立 (lì, 'to stand'), supplies the pronunciation. It originally designated a small, hard particle, especially a grain of rice, wheat, or sand. Over time, its use broadened from agricultural staples to a general classifier for any tiny, round, or pebble-like item, including seeds, pills, beads, and even abstract concepts like particles in physics.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

桌子上有一粒米。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yí lì mǐ.

There is a grain of rice on the table.

他捡起一粒沙子。

Tā jiǎn qǐ yí lì shāzi.

He picked up a grain of sand.

这些颗粒很小。

Zhèxiē kēlì hěn xiǎo.

These particles are very small.

一粒种子能长成大树。

Yí lì zhǒngzi néng zhǎng chéng dà shù.

A seed can grow into a big tree.

空气中充满灰尘颗粒。

Kōngqì zhōng chōngmǎn huīchén kēlì.

The air is full of dust particles.

每粒药丸都必须吞下。

Měi lì yàowán dōu bìxū tūn xià.

Every pill must be swallowed.

量子物理研究微观粒子。

Liàngzǐ wùlǐ yánjiū wēiguān lìzǐ.

Quantum physics studies microscopic particles.

这种材料由纳米颗粒构成。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào yóu nàmǐ kēlì gòuchéng.

This material is composed of nanoparticles.

Related Characters

Component: 立

Component: 米

粒