黎 (lí): Li ethnic group (of Hainan Province)

Meanings

1 Li ethnic group (of Hainan Province)
2 surname Li
3 (literary) black; dark
4 (literary) multitude; the common people

Characters

黎

lí

Li people; dark; multitude

Examples

黎族是海南岛的原住民。

Lízú shì Hǎinándǎo de yuánzhùmín.

The Li people are the indigenous inhabitants of Hainan Island.

黎明前的天空最黑暗。

Límíng qián de tiānkōng zuì hēi'àn.

The sky is darkest before dawn.

Tips

usage

Most commonly encountered as a surname or in 黎明 (límíng, dawn). The 'multitude' meaning survives in the literary term 黎民 (límín, the common people) and 黎民百姓 (límín bǎixìng, the masses). Also abbreviates 黎巴嫩 (Líbānèn, Lebanon).