吏 - Dong Chinese dictionary

lì

government official

The characters 史 (history), 吏 (government official), 使 (cause; use; instruct), and 事 (matter; work; affair) are all etymologically related and all derive from the same ancient character, depicting a hand (又) holding a container for writing utensils. 吏 and 史 were originally written the same, but later an extra mark was added to distinguish them.

Components

◎ Distinguishing component

characterless component

Mark added to distinguish 事 from 史.

史 Sound Iconic component

shǐ

history

Depicts a hand holding a container for writing utensils.

吏 and 史 don't sound similar in modern Mandarin due to historical phonetic changes. They were more similar in older Chinese.吏 /*[r]əʔ-s/
史 /*s-rəʔ/

Evolution

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

吏

lì

government official, magistrate; minor government official or functionary (old)

Most common words with 吏

Freq.	Word	Meaning
	吏	minor government official or functionary (old)
	官吏	bureaucrat
	贪官污吏	grasping officials, corrupt mandarins (idiom); abuse and corruption
	吏部	Ministry of Appointments (in imperial China)
	吏治	achievement in office