The kanji 吏 primarily signifies "official," "government official," or "officer." It refers to someone who holds a position in the government or a similar organization and is responsible for administrative or executive duties. It can also imply a person who is in charge or has authority.

・On-yomi (音読み): り (ri) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None, as the meaning is often conveyed through compound words.

⚫︎役人 (やくにん) Translation: Government official, public servant. ⚫︎吏員 (りいん) Translation: Official, staff member. ⚫︎判吏 (はんり) Translation: Judge, official involved in judgments.

The kanji 吏 is a pictophonetic character. The original form depicts a person holding a tool, likely representing someone in a position of authority or carrying out official duties. The upper part is a component that provides a phonetic element, while the lower part is a pictograph of a person. Over time, the form was simplified to its current shape.