Definitions

liàn (verb) to practice; to train; to drill
liàn (verb) to perfect (one's skill); to exercise

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "boil and scour raw silk" to make it softer and whiter. The meaning later shifted to "to make perfect" and "to practice". Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character '练', historically represented in its traditional form as '練', finds its etymological origins in the realm of silk production, where it specifically described the process of boiling and scouring raw silk to bleach and soften the fibers, a meaning directly reflected in its composition through the silk radical '糸'. This concrete act of material purification through repeated application naturally lent itself to a metaphorical extension, allowing the character's meaning to gradually expand beyond textile work to encompass the abstract notion of refining skills or knowledge through persistent exercise and repetition. The structural evolution from '練' to the simplified '练' involved a alteration of the phonetic component to '东', yet the core semantic connection to a transformative process of improvement through diligent effort remains inherent in the character's modern interpretation as practice or training.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我每天习汉字。

Wǒ měitiān liànxí Hànzì.

I practice Chinese characters every day.

妈妈习瑜伽。

Māma liànxí yújiā.

Mom practices yoga.

他在健身房锻炼。

Tā zài jiànshēnfáng duànliàn.

He exercises at the gym.

我们习说英语。

Wǒmen liànxí shuō Yīngyǔ.

We practice speaking English.

弟弟习弹钢琴。

Dìdi liànxí tán gāngqín.

Younger brother practices playing the piano.

她经常习书法。

Tā jīngcháng liànxí shūfǎ.

She often practices calligraphy.

运动员每天训很辛苦。

Yùndòngyuán měitiān xùnliàn hěn xīnkǔ.

Athletes train hard every day.

为了比赛,他加强了习强度。

Wèile bǐsài, tā jiāqiángle liànxí qiángdù.

For the competition, he increased the intensity of his practice.