列

• Pinyin: liè
• Hanzi breakdown: 列 = 歹 (a row of bones, suggesting a line) + 刀 (knife), cutting apart and arranging in sequence

Meaning

To list; to arrange in a row; to enumerate (V); (measure word for trains and linear formations) (M). Used both for arranging items in order and as a classifier for things in a line.

As a verb, 列 means to arrange or enumerate items (e.g., 列出清单 — draw up a list; 列举 — enumerate). As a measure word, it counts trains (一列火车) or rows/formations (一列士兵). Common collocations: 列举 (to enumerate), 列入 (to include in a list), 列表 (a table/list).

Examples

1. 请把你的问题列出来，一个一个地问。 Please list out your questions and ask them one by one.
2. 站台上一列火车缓缓地驶进了车站。 A train slowly pulled into the station on the platform.
3. 这份报告把主要问题列得很清楚，一目了然。 This report lists the main issues very clearly, making everything immediately apparent.

Usage Guide

Context: writing, formal, everyday, transport

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请把所有需要准备的材料列在纸上。(Please list all the materials that need to be prepared on a piece of paper.)
• 一列高铁从隧道里飞驰而出。(A high-speed train shot out of the tunnel.)

Don't Say

• 用'列'作为计数火车以外事物的通用量词 (Don't use 列 as a general measure word — it applies specifically to trains and linear formations, not objects generally)

Origin & History

列 depicts items arranged side by side in a row. The component 刀 (knife) suggests cutting things apart and ordering them in sequence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal