How to write 了

Animated Stroke Order of 了

Learn to write the Chinese character "了" by watching the stroke order animation of "了".

Stroke by Stroke: 了 Writing Order

Master the Chinese character '了' stroke by stroke with visual step-by-step instructions.

Follow the Calligraphy Master: Writing '了' Step-by-Step

Learn the proper way to write the Chinese character '了' through a video tutorial with a calligraphy teacher. Follow the Calligraphy Master's Step-by-Step Guide to Write the Chinese Character '了'. You can download the printable handwriting worksheets below and practice writing together with pen and paper.

Free Printable 了 Handwriting Practice Worksheets

Printable Writing Practice Worksheet of "了"

Printable Handwriting Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 了

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Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of "了"

Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 了

Download the worksheet in PNG format

Meaning of 了

Pinyin le、 liǎo

Radical

乙

Strokes

Definition

(modal particle intensifying preceding clause) / (completed action marker), to know / to understand / to know, clear, look afar from a high place

Usage

★★★★★

了 [liǎo] 1. 明白，知道。 (Understand, know.) 2. 完结，结束。 (Finish, end.) 3. 在动词后，与“不”、“得”连用，表示可能或不可能。 (Used after a verb, in conjunction with "not" or "can," indicating possibility or impossibility.) 4. 与“得”、“不得”前后连用，表示异乎寻常或情况严重。 (Used with "can" or "cannot," indicating unusual circumstances or serious conditions.) 了 [liǎo] 1. 明白，知道：明～。一目～然。 (Understand, know: clear at a glance.) 2. 完结，结束：完～。～结。 (Finish, end: completed it.) 3. 在动词后，与“不”、“得”连用，表示可能或不可能：看不～。办得～。 (Used after a verb with "not" or "can," indicating possibility or impossibility: cannot see it. Can do it.) 4. 与“得”、“不得”前后连用，表示异乎寻常或情况严重：那还～得！(Used with "can" or "cannot," indicating unusual circumstances or seriousness: that cannot be doubted!) 了 [liǎo] (Verb) 本义:束婴儿两臂 (Original meaning: bind a baby’s arms.) 造字法:象形。从子，无臂。小篆字象婴儿束其两臂形。初生的婴儿，往往束其两臂而裹之。 (Character formation: pictographic, depicting a child without arms. The small seal script resembles an infant wrapped with arms bound. Newborn infants are often wrapped with arms bound.) 1. 手弯曲 (Hand bent.) 2. 假借为“憭”、“悟”。懂得，明白其意思 (Borrowed for “to understand.” Comprehend, grasp the meaning.) 3. 结束，了结 (End.) 了 [liǎo] (Adjective) 1. 聪敏，颖慧 (Wise.) 2. 清楚，明晰 (Clear.) 3. 明亮，光亮 (Bright.) 了 [liǎo] (Adverb) 1. 完全，全然——与“无”、“不”连用，用在动词或形容词前面，表示范围，相当于“完全（没有）”、“完全（不）” (Completely; with “none” or “not,” used before verbs or adjectives to indicate scope, equivalent to “entirely (none)” or “entirely (not)”). 2. 放在动词之后，与“得”或“不”连用，表示可能 (Used after a verb as a complement with “can” or “not” to indicate possibility or finality.) 3. 另见 le (Also see: le.) 了 [liǎo] (Verb) 1. 放在动词或形容词后，表示动作或变化已经完成。 (Placed after a verb or adjective, indicating action or change has been completed.) 2. 助词，用在句子末尾或句中停顿的地方，表示变化，表示出现新的情况。 (Particles used at the end of a sentence or at pauses, indicating change or the emergence of new situations.) 了 [le] (Particle) 用在动词或形容词后，表示完成 (Used after the verb or adjective to indicate completion.) 了 [le] (Tone) 1. 表示肯定语气 (Indicates future certainty.) 2. 表示促进或劝止 (Indicates prompting or stopping.) 3. 表示感叹语气 (Indicates interjection.) 4. 另见 liǎo (Also see: liǎo.) 了 [le] (Particle) 用在动词或形容词后，表示完成 (Used after the verb or adjective to indicate completion.) 例：如:我已经问了老王;人老了，身体差了;头发白了;这双鞋太小了 (Examples: I have already asked Lao Wang; people grow old, health deteriorates; hair turns white; these shoes are too small.) 了 [le] (Tone) 1. 表示肯定语气 (Indicates future certainty.) 例：如:明天又是星期六了;要过新年了，人们都很高兴 (Examples: Tomorrow is Saturday again; New Year is coming, people are very happy.) 2. 表示促进或劝止 (Indicates prompting or stopping.) 例：如:快躲了;别吵了!闪开了! (Examples: Hurry and hide; stop making noise! Step aside!) 3. 表示感叹语气 (Indicates interjection.) 例：如:好了!别闹了! (Examples: Alright! Stop messing around!) 4. 另见 liǎo (Also see: liǎo.)

得了吧 dé le ba

come on

赔了夫人又折兵 péi le fū rén yòu zhé bīng

having given away a bride, to lose one's army on top of it (idiom) / to suffer a double loss after trying to trick the enemy

帮不了 bāng bù liǎo

Can't help

忘不了 wàng bù liǎo

cannot forget

了悟 liǎo wù

complete enlightenment

直截了当 zhí jié liǎo dàng

direct and plainspoken (idiom); blunt / straightforward

捏了一把汗 niē le yī bǎ hàn

Squeeze a sweat

吃不了兜着走 chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu

lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom) / fig. you'll have to take the consequences

敷衍了事 fū yǎn liǎo shì

to skimp / to work half-heartedly / not to bother

傻了眼 shǎ le yǎn

Dumbfounded

简洁明了 jiǎn jié míng liǎo

succinct and clear / brevity

远水解不了近渴 yuǎn shuǐ jiě bù liǎo jìn kě

Distant water cannot quench present thirst / Slowness can not meet hasty demand. / The aid is too slow in coming to be of any help.

不甚了了 bù shèn liǎo liǎo

not know much (about sth.) / do not quite understand / not be too clear (about sth.)

了解 liǎo jiě

to understand / to realize / to find out

除了 chú le

besides / apart from (... also...) / in addition to / except (for)

罢了 bà le

a modal particle indicating (that's all, only, nothing much)

算了 suàn le

let it be / let it pass / forget about it

极了 jí le

extremely / exceedingly

对了 duì le

Correct! / Oh, that's right, ... (when one suddenly remembers sth one wanted to mention) / Oh, by the way, ...

了不起 liǎo bu qǐ

amazing / terrific / extraordinary

免不了 miǎn bù liǎo

unavoidable / can't be avoided

受不了 shòu bù liǎo

unbearable / unable to endure / can't stand

不得了 bù dé liǎo

desperately serious / disastrous / extremely / exceedingly

少不了 shǎo bu liǎo

cannot do without / to be unavoidable / are bound to be many

了结 liǎo jié

to settle / to finish / to conclude / to wind up

了得 liǎo de

exceptional / outstanding / dreadful / appalling

未了 wèi liǎo

unfinished / outstanding (business) / unfulfilled

没完没了 méi wán méi liǎo

without end / incessantly / on and on

说了算 shuō le suàn

to have the final say / to be the one in charge

末了 mò liǎo

in the end

大不了 dà bù liǎo

at worst / if worst comes to worst / serious / alarming

亏了 kuī le

lost

为了 wèi le

in order to / for the purpose of / so as to

怎么得了 zěn me dé liǎo

how can this be? / what's to be done? / what an awful mess!

不了 bù liǎo

unable to / without end

一去不复返了 yī qù bù fù fǎn le

Gone forever