HSK 5 · Verbs

处理 chǔlǐ “to handle” in Chinese

Said as chúlǐ

Traditional 處理

What 处理 means

  1. to handle
  2. to deal with
  3. to process
  4. to punish
  5. to treat sth by a special process
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
  • to sell at reduced prices

How to say 处理

  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale处chǔ3rd tone, dipping
  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale理lǐ3rd tone, dipping

Said as chúlǐ. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. How tone changes work

处理 in a sentence

  1. 让我来处理。

    Ràng wǒ lái chǔlǐ.

    Let me handle it.

    Sentence #793249 from Tatoeba · converted to simplified characters · translation adapted

  2. 我们应该怎么处理这个问题呢？

    Wǒmen yīnggāi zěnme chǔlǐ zhè ge wèntí ne?

    How should we deal with this problem?

    Sentence #2333768 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 这些问题必须谨慎处理。

    Zhèxiē wèntí bìxū jǐnshèn chǔlǐ.

    These problems must be handled carefully.

    Sentence #9501200 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 处理 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 处 (chu) with each of its parts in a different colour
处chǔto reside
  • 夂go · zhǐ
  • 卜divination · bǔ
The character 理 (lǐ) with each of its parts in a different colour
理lǐtexture
  • 王king · wángMeaning part
  • 里village · lǐSound part

王 hints at the meaning (king); 里 (lǐ) hints at the sound. Compare it with lǐ.

Memory aid王 here is jade 玉: cutting jade along its grain. 里 (lǐ) gives the sound: to put in order, reason.

How to write 处理

处 5 strokes · 理 11 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

处理 (chǔlǐ) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 处理 (chǔlǐ). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 处理

Words with 处

好处hǎochu · benefit到处dàochù · everywhere相处xiāngchǔ · to get along (with someone)处置chǔzhì · to deal with处分chǔfèn · disciplinary action处境chǔjìng · situation恰到好处qiàdàohǎochù · just right

Words with 理

经理jīnglǐ · manager理解lǐjiě · to comprehend理想lǐxiǎng · an ideal理发lǐfà · to get a haircut修理xiūlǐ · to repair整理zhěnglǐ · to arrange管理guǎnlǐ · to supervise办理bànlǐ · to handle合理hélǐ · rational心理xīnlǐ · psychology

More words: Common Verbs

充满chōngmǎn · to be full of冲chōng · to rush出示chūshì · to show出席chūxí · to attend传播chuánbō · to disseminate闯chuǎng · to rush创造chuàngzào · to create吹chuī · to blow

FAQs

处理 (chǔlǐ) means “to handle” or “to deal with”. It is an HSK 5 word.
Say it chǔlǐ: chǔ with a 3rd tone, then lǐ with a 3rd tone. In speech it sounds like chúlǐ. When two third tones meet, the first one rises into a second tone. You still write it with two third tones. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 处理 is written 處理. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type chuli with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 处理 from the suggestions. Typing chuli into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
处理 is an HSK 5 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.