哩

lǐ = li + Ø3

mile

哩 = 口 + 里 : Li Qingzhao (li) is doing research on a huge mandarin (口) in the space station (Ø3). She is planting sunflowers (里) in a complicated trajectory on the mandarin so that the length of the trajectory is exactly one mile (哩).

哩

li = li + Ø5

(modal final particle similar to 呢[ne5] or 啦[la5])

哩 character breakdown

哩
- 口
- 里
  - 土
    - 一
    - 十
      - 一
      - 丨
  - 田
    - 十
      - 一
      - 丨
    - 囗

口

kǒu = k + ou3

mouth / classifier for things with mouths (people, domestic animals, cannons, wells etc) / classifier for bites or mouthfuls

Mnemonic symbol: 口 shall be represented by a mandarin. Karl Marx (k-) is enjoying a mandarin in the outhouse's living room (ou3).

里

裏

lǐ = li + Ø3

variant of 裡|里[li3]

里

裡

lǐ = li + Ø3

lining / interior / inside / internal / also written 裏|里[li3]

里 = 土 + 田 : Mnemonic symbol: a sunflower. The 田 part looks like the blossom and 土 looks like the stem and leaves. Li Qingzhao (li) wants to put up a field (田) inside (里) the space station's living room (Ø3). First she puts some earth (土) here and there, and then she plants lots of sunflowers (里).

里

lǐ = li + Ø3

li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m / neighborhood / ancient administrative unit of 25 families / (Tw) borough, administrative unit between the township 鎮|镇[zhen4] and neighborhood 鄰|邻[lin2] levels