炼 liàn refine
refine; train; to smelt
How to remember 炼: 火 fire + 𫠣 select = refine. The blacksmith stokes the fire, helps his apprentice select the best steel and says "Every day we refine and start again."
Component breakdown
炼 = 火 fire + 𫠣 select
- 火 fire
- 𫠣 select
The blacksmith stokes the fire, helps his apprentice select the best steel and says "Every day we refine and start again."
How it is used
- Fire radical 火 - to smelt/refine by heat: 炼钢 (liàn gāng) to smelt steel, 提炼 (tíliàn) to extract/refine.
- In 锻炼 (duànliàn) it's the 'temper yourself' half - training the body like refining metal.
- 磨炼 (móliàn) to steel oneself through trials; note 炼 (refine by fire) vs the near-homophone 练 (liàn, to practice) in 练习 - different characters, don't swap them.
Words with 炼
Example sentences
- 她为了健康锻炼身体。 Tā wèile jiànkāng duànliàn shēntǐ.She exercises for her health.