理

• Pinyin: lǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 理 = 王 (jade) + 里 (phonetic/village), originally the veins in jade, extended to principle/reason

Meaning

Reason; principle; to pay attention to; to manage. A versatile character with multiple meanings.

As noun: reason/principle (道理, 理由). As verb: to pay attention to (理睬, 不理), to manage (管理, 处理), to put in order (整理). Common expressions: 不理不睬 (ignore completely), 合情合理 (reasonable), 理所当然 (as it should be). Often used in 理 + someone = pay attention to someone.

Examples

1. 我跟他打招呼，他居然不理我，不知道在想什么。 I greeted him but he actually ignored me; I don't know what he's thinking.
2. 做事要讲道理，不能只凭感觉。 When doing things you need to be reasonable; you can't just go by feelings.
3. 这件事你不用理他，让他自己反省反省。 You don't need to pay attention to him about this; let him reflect on it himself.

Usage Guide

Context: logic, social interaction, management

Tone: varied

Do Say

• 他怎么不理人呢？(Why isn't he paying attention to people?)
• 这件事的道理很简单。(The logic of this matter is simple.)

Don't Say

• 把理和里混淆 (理 is reason/principle; 里 is inside — different characters with same pronunciation)

Origin & History

Originally meant the veins or grain in jade (玉 + 里). Extended to mean underlying patterns, logic, and reason.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal