리

See also: -리- and -리

(see above for verbal suffixes)

리 U+B9AC, 리 HANGUL SYLLABLE RI Composition: ㄹ + ㅣ ← 릫 [U+B9AB] Hangul Syllables 릭 → [U+B9AD]

리릭릮릯린릱릲 릳릴릵릶릷릸릹 릺릻림립릾릿맀 링맂맃맄맅맆맇
릐 ←	→ 마

Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 理り (“reason; logic”).

Pronunciation 1

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾi]
• Phonetic hangul: [리]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	ri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	li
McCune–Reischauer?	ri
Yale Romanization?	li

Dependent noun

리 • (ri) (hanja 理り)

1. (usually in the negative or the interrogative) way, reason, sense

   그럴 리가 없다. ― Geureol ri-ga eopda. ― That can't be true.

   주인공이 죽을 리가 있겠냐? ― Ju'in'gong-i jugeul ri-ga itgennya? ― How does it make sense for the main character to die?

   • 1908, 이인직, 雉(치)岳たけ(악)山やま(산), volume I, page 32:

     ᄀᆡ화ᄒᆞᆫ 아들 잇것다 ᄀᆡ화ᄒᆞᆫ 며누리 잇것다 집이 잘 되지 망ᄒᆞᆯ 리가 있소

     gaehwa-han adeul itgeotda gaehwa-han myeonuri itgeotda jib-i jal doeji mang-hal ri-ga itso

     We have a Westernized son, we have a Westernized daughter-in-law; of course our family will do well, how on earth could it go to ruin?

Pronunciation 2

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾi(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [리(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	ri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	li
McCune–Reischauer?	ri
Yale Romanization?	lī

Noun

South Korean Standard Language	이/리(理り) (i/ri)
North Korean Standard Language	리(理り) (ri)

리 • (ri) (hanja 理り)

1. (East Asian philosophy, especially Confucianism) li, the underlying ordering principle of the cosmos

   Coordinate term: 기(氣き) (gi, vital force engendering the cosmos)

Usage notes

• In the case of this specific word, the 리 (ri) pronunciation is common even in South Korea. The reason may be to avoid homophony with other Chinese characters, given the context of East Asian philosophy where single-character Chinese terms are common.

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 理り for Sino-Korean compounds of 리 (理り, ri).

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 里さと (“village; unit of distance”).

Noun

South Korean Standard Language	이/리(里さと) (i/ri)
North Korean Standard Language	리(里さと) (ri)

리 • (ri) (hanja 里さと)

1. (government) village; a Korean administrative division covering a small settlement and its surrounding hinterland.

Usage notes

• 이(里さと) (i) is the prescriptive form in the South Korean standard, but 리(里さと) (ri) is more common.

Coordinate terms

• (Administrative divisions of South Korea) 리(里さと) (ri), 동(洞ほら) (dong), 면(面めん) (myeon), 읍(邑) (eup), 구(區く) (gu), 군(郡ぐん) (gun), 시(市し) (si), 도(道みち) (do)

Counter

리 • (ri) (hanja 里さと)

1. li; East Asian unit of distance (traditionally around 393 meters in Korea)

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 里さと for Sino-Korean compounds of 리 (里さと, ri).

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 李り, Middle Korean reading 리〯 (Lǐ) and 니〯 (Nǐ).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾi(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [리(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	Ri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	Li
McCune–Reischauer?	Ri
Yale Romanization?	lī

Proper noun

South Korean Standard Language	이(李り) (I)
North Korean Standard Language	리(李り) (Ri)

리 • (Ri) (hanja 李り)

1. North Korea standard form of 이(李り) (I, “Lee”, the second most common Korean surname).

Usage notes

• Most South Koreans romanize it as "Lee", but in North Korea the common romanization is "Ri".

Etymology 4

Sino-Korean word from 裏うら/裡うら (“inside”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾi]
• Phonetic hangul: [리]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	ri
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	li
McCune–Reischauer?	ri
Yale Romanization?	li

Suffix

—리 • (-ri) (hanja 裏うら/裡うら)

1. inside, within, inner

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 裏うら for Sino-Korean compounds of 리 (裏うら, ri).

Etymology 5

Modern Korean reading of various Chinese characters, when preceded by another character in a compound. When used as the first character of a compound or in isolation, they are pronounced as 이 (i).

Following a language reform in the mid-twentieth century, North Koreans always read them as 리 (ri) in any position, but this was not standard before the division of Korea.

Syllable

리 (ri)

More information

1. (South Korea) 里さと: town

   (eumhun reading: 마을 리 (ma'eul ri))
   (MC reading: 里さと (MC liX))

2. (South Korea) 理り: rule

   (eumhun reading: 다스릴 리 (daseuril ri))
   (MC reading: 理り (MC liX))

3. (South Korea) 利り: benefit

   (eumhun reading: 이로울 리 (iroul ri))
   (MC reading: 利り (MC lijH))

4. (South Korea) 梨なし: pear tree

   (eumhun reading: 배나무 리 (baenamu ri))
   (MC reading: 梨なし (MC lij))

5. (South Korea) 李り: plum tree

   (eumhun reading: 오얏나무 리 (oyannamu ri))
   (MC reading: 李り (MC liX))

6. (South Korea) 吏: petty official

   (eumhun reading: 아전 리 (ajeon ri))
   (MC reading: 吏 (MC liH))

7. (South Korea) 離はなれ: leave

   (eumhun reading: 떠날 리 (tteonal ri))
   (MC reading: 離はなれ (MC lje|ljeH|lejH))

8. (South Korea) 裏うら: inside

   (eumhun reading: 속 리 (sok ri))
   (MC reading: 裏うら (MC liX))

9. (South Korea) 履くつ: trample, step on

   (eumhun reading: 밟을 리 (balbeul ri))
   (MC reading: 履くつ (MC lijX))

10. (South Korea) 俚: vulgar

    (eumhun reading: 속될 리 (sokdoel ri))
    (MC reading: 俚 (MC liX))

11. (South Korea) 莉: jasmine

    (eumhun reading: 말리 리 (malli ri))
    (MC reading: 莉 (MC drij|dri|lej))

12. (South Korea) 璃: glass

    (eumhun reading: 유리 리 (yuri ri))
    (MC reading: 璃 (MC lje))

13. (South Korea) 俐: clever

    (eumhun reading: 똑똑할 리 (ttokttokhal ri))
    (MC reading: 俐)

14. (South Korea) 唎: thin voice

    (eumhun reading: 가는 소리 리 (ganeun sori ri))
    (MC reading: 唎)

15. (South Korea) 浬かいり: nautical mile

    (eumhun reading: 해리 리 (haeri ri))
    (MC reading: 浬かいり)

16. (South Korea) 狸たぬき: wild cat

    (eumhun reading: 삵 리 (sak ri))
    (MC reading: 狸たぬき (MC li))

17. (South Korea) 痢: diarrhea

    (eumhun reading: 설사 리 (seolsa ri))
    (MC reading: 痢 (MC lijH))

18. (South Korea) 籬ませ: fence

    (eumhun reading: 울타리 리 (ultari ri))
    (MC reading: 籬ませ (MC lje))

19. (South Korea) 罹かか: fall ill, get sick

    (eumhun reading: 걸릴 리 (geollil ri))
    (MC reading: 罹かか (MC lje))

20. (South Korea) 羸: ashen

    (eumhun reading: 파리할 리 (parihal ri))
    (MC reading: 羸 (MC ljwe))

21. (South Korea) 釐: ruling

    (eumhun reading: 다스릴 리 (daseuril ri))
    (MC reading: 釐 (MC li))

22. (South Korea) 鯉こい: carp

    (eumhun reading: 잉어 리 (ing'eo ri))
    (MC reading: 鯉こい (MC liX))

23. (South Korea) 涖: reach

    (eumhun reading: 다다를 리 (dadareul ri))
    (MC reading: 涖 (MC lijH|lejH))

24. (South Korea) 𢻠: upright

    (eumhun reading: 바르다 리 (bareuda ri))
    (MC reading: 𢻠)

25. (South Korea) 犂すき: plow

    (eumhun reading: 밭 갈 리 (bat gal ri))
    (MC reading: 犂すき (MC lij))

26. (South Korea) 摛: spread

    (eumhun reading: 퍼질 리 (peojil ri))
    (MC reading: 摛 (MC trhje))

27. (South Korea) 剺: peel

    (eumhun reading: 벗길 리 (beotgil ri))
    (MC reading: 剺 (MC li))

28. (South Korea) 哩まいる: a particle

    (eumhun reading: 어조사 리 (eojosa ri))
    (MC reading: 哩まいる)

29. (South Korea) 嫠: widow

    (eumhun reading: 과부 리 (gwabu ri))
    (MC reading: 嫠 (MC li))

30. (South Korea) 莅のぞき: reach

    (eumhun reading: 다다를 리 (dadareul ri))
    (MC reading: 莅のぞき (MC lijH))

31. (South Korea) 蜊: clam

    (eumhun reading: 참조개 리 (chamjogae ri))
    (MC reading: 蜊 (MC lij))

32. (South Korea) 螭: hornless dragon

    (eumhun reading: 교룡 리 (gyoryong ri))
    (MC reading: 螭 (MC trhje))

33. (South Korea) 貍: lynx

    (eumhun reading: 삵 리 (sak ri))
    (MC reading: 貍 (MC li))

34. (South Korea) 邐: connect

    (eumhun reading: 이어질 리 (ieojil ri))
    (MC reading: 邐 (MC ljeX))

35. (South Korea) 魑: goblin

    (eumhun reading: 도깨비 리 (dokkaebi ri))
    (MC reading: 魑 (MC trhje))

36. (South Korea) 黐もち: flypaper

    (eumhun reading: 끈끈이 리 (kkeunkkeuni ri))
    (MC reading: 黐もち (MC lje|trhje))

37. (South Korea) 漓: to permeate

    (eumhun reading: 스며들 리 (seumyeodeul ri))
    (MC reading: 漓 (MC lje))

38. (South Korea) 裡うら: Alternative form of 裏うら

    (MC reading: 裡うら (MC liX))

39. (South Korea) 离: Alternative form of 離はなれ

    (MC reading: 离 (MC lje|trhje))

40. (South Korea) 悧: Alternative form of 俐

    (MC reading: 悧)

41. (South Korea) 厘りん: Alternative form of 釐

    (MC reading: 厘りん)

42. (South Korea) 犁: Alternative form of 犂すき

    (MC reading: 犁 (MC lej))

References

• Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名じんめい用よう漢字かんじ表ひょう, Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo), page 14. [1]
• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際こくさい退すさ溪けい學會がっかい 大邱たいきゅう慶けい北きた支部しぶ) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子でんし字典じてん. [2]