吏
low-ranking official; official; surname
Meanings
3 senses · 15 examplesnoun
low-ranking petty official
archaicUsed exclusively in historical contexts referring to low-level government staff without official rank.
Petty clerks in ancient county yamen were responsible for handling paperwork.
This petty official has worked in the county yamen for ten years.
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Petty clerks are the most basic administrative staff in ancient bureaucratic systems.
Clerks in the prefectural yamen handle large amounts of official documents every day.
This elderly clerk has served in the yamen for most of his life.
noun
general term for officials (old)
archaicA broad, archaic term for government officials, often used in formal historical writing.
Common people suffered oppression from corrupt officials.
This harsh official was famous for his strict law enforcement.
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Senior officials in ancient times often held local military and political power.
Officials sent by the court rectified the local official administration.
There are many stories about corrupt officials circulating among the people.
noun
surname Li
Used as a family name, with capitalized initial pronunciation when used as a surname.
My neighbor's surname is Li, everyone calls him Mr. Li.
The Li surname is a very rare Chinese family name.
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Professor Li is a well-known scholar at our university.
The Li family is mainly distributed in North China.
This Li surname entrepreneur has founded multiple high-tech enterprises.