率

lǜ / shuài

To lead; ratio, rate, or standard; all/entirely.

Meaning

  • Lead, guide, or command (kinetic).
  • Ratio, rate, standard, or rule (structural).
  • Category or kind (classification).

Grammar and usage

  • Verb: To lead or command with authority.
  • Adverb/Quantifier (//shuài//): "All," "entirely," or "without exception"; often functions as a quantifier for the subject.

Distinctions

  • Kinetic vs. Structural: A sharp divide exists between senses of movement (leading) and measurement (ratio).
  • The structural sense is closely linked to 律 (law/rule), where "ratio" implies a fixed standard of measure rather than just a mathematical figure.

Translator notes

  • Determine if the context is kinetic or structural to establish the correct reading.
  • In passages concerning music (tuning and pitch pipes), mathematics, or legalistic standards, favor the structural sense (//lǜ//).
  • If neither "leading" nor "ratio" fits the syntax, consider whether the text refers to the classification or gathering of a specific type of object or person (//lèi//).

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.