锂 (lǐ) · lithium (chemical element, symbol Li)

Meanings

1 lithium (chemical element, symbol Li)

Characters

锂

lǐ

lithium (single-character element)

Examples

HSK 5

手机电池大多使用锂离子技术。

Shǒujī diànchí dàduō shǐyòng lǐ lízǐ jìshù.

Most smartphone batteries use lithium-ion technology.

HSK 5

电动汽车的发展推动了对锂资源的需求。

Diàndòng qìchē de fāzhǎn tuīdòng le duì lǐ zīyuán de xūqiú.

The development of electric vehicles has driven demand for lithium resources.

HSK 6

锂是最轻的金属元素。

Lǐ shì zuì qīng de jīnshǔ yuánsù.

Lithium is the lightest metallic element.

Tips

memory

锂 uses the metal radical 钅. The right side 里 is the phonetic component. Lithium -> lǐ - the characters match the sound.

Components

radical

钅 jīn

metal (radical form of 金)

Left-side metal radical, the side-form of 金. Anchors 锂 in the modern element family - every metal element name takes 钅. Lithium is the lightest metal, used in batteries and mood-stabilising drugs; the radical marks it as a metal, the right side gives the sound.

phonetic

里 lǐ

inside; village

Right side 里 supplies the sound - exact lǐ. Chosen to transliterate the first syllable of lithium (Li). Pure phonetic role; the field-over-earth picture of 里 contributes no meaning. The metal radical plus matched sound follows the modern element-naming pattern.