English word origin

Etymology of li

An early romanization of Chinese Mandarin 里 (lǐ). As a Korean unit, via the Yale romanization of Korean 리 (ri), from the Chinese distance.

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters). · The Korean mile, a traditional unit of distance equivalent to about 393 m.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

An early romanization of Chinese Mandarin 里 (lǐ). As a Korean unit, via the Yale romanization of Korean 리 (ri), from the Chinese distance.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mention里cmn
Derivation mention리ko

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "zh",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Chinese"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cmn",
        "3": "里",
        "tr": "lǐ"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin 里 (lǐ)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ko",
        "3": "리"
      },
      "expansion": "Korean 리 (ri)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "里",
      "里#Mandarin"
    ],
    [
      "리",
      "리#Korean"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The Chinese mile, a traditional unit of distance equal to 1500 chis or 150 zhangs, now standardized as a half-kilometer (500 meters).",
        "The Korean mile, a traditional unit of distance equivalent to about 393 m."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "59fa23cffb90b561d93349c98bc525cba2a6bbae39ba480e4a8a7129638bf483",
      "rawRecordSha256": "3eee7ad42b444f6d470dbcc92c7b9e9b0d94b12731cccff21dc390a0c5020873",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 132790
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A traditional Chinese unit of weight, equal to one-thousandth of a liang, or fifty milligrams.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Mandarin 市厘 (lí).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mention市厘cmn

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cmn",
        "3": "市厘",
        "tr": "lí"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin 市厘 (lí)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "市厘",
      "市厘#Mandarin"
    ],
    [
      "lí",
      "lí"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A traditional Chinese unit of weight, equal to one-thousandth of a liang, or fifty milligrams."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "f79ca4521e2a0eabd3b9bd0d7961f37134b675c7a3e25c73095079ad11f0b44b",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b1802fa18fa3d7400b2521594056b47766d3fd78a32dbc6625b360bc80c0e432",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 132791
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A meaningful ceremony or ritual; etiquette, behaviour.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Mandarin 禮 /礼 (lǐ).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mention禮cmn

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cmn",
        "3": "禮",
        "tr": "lǐ"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin 禮 /礼 (lǐ)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "禮",
      "禮#Mandarin"
    ],
    [
      "礼",
      "礼#Mandarin"
    ],
    [
      "lǐ",
      "lǐ"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A meaningful ceremony or ritual; etiquette, behaviour."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Chinese"
      ],
      "recordId": "b6b259b9f69de4c14a9c437d9c9b098f473547c34ef74312ea117654776d3ada",
      "rawRecordSha256": "5c0d01cfcc1f021eb1a5f31d6e4c55783d204fd6c8729e7cc3ede9180fbc7f4d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 132792
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

An ancient Chinese cauldron having three hollow legs.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Mandarin 鬲 (lì).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mention鬲cmn

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cmn",
        "3": "鬲",
        "tr": "lì"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin 鬲 (lì)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "鬲",
      "鬲#Mandarin"
    ],
    [
      "lì",
      "lì"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An ancient Chinese cauldron having three hollow legs."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "6b88083a0b67ae0deaa5c1b3ca04aa9100302f491431e988b8ed590bb5c65112",
      "rawRecordSha256": "8a1930c04451d815a247ea6a274a013aa7d703dda446b426d77ece420740495b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 132793
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

noun

In solfège, the raised sixth note of a major scale (the note A-sharp in the fixed-do system).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Altered from la, with the vowel changed to signify a raised note.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "la",
      "la#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "In solfège, the raised sixth note of a major scale (the note A-sharp in the fixed-do system)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "b157bdacdf64350dee45f7c8d13ee2e7885fec482d38147b7185d7df0b8e8b90",
      "rawRecordSha256": "e50072027f8c8606d3f9990c387f86b8c323c37be95f6f9c9d4831e77e520a36",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 132794
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for li →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-bGk