Lee 2

Lee 2 is a Korean surname derived from the i element, written as 李 in Sino-Korean characters. It is the Korean form of the Chinese surname Li 1, which has various original meanings including "reason, logic" (理), "stand, establish" (立), "black, dawn" (黎), "power, capability" (力), or "beautiful" (丽).

Lee (also romanized as I or Yi) is the second most common surname in South Korea, carried by a significant portion of the population. The character 李 (plum plum) has been used in Korea since at least the Goryeo Dynasty, notably by the ruling Yi family of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910).

Outside Korea, Lee is also a variant Chinese romanization of Li (see Mandarin pronunciations), as well as a common English surname of Old English origin. This article focuses exclusively on the Korean surname.

• Meaning: Korean reading of Chinese 李 (liè meaning "plum"?) but originally derived from various Chinese meanings including "logic," "power," "beautiful"
• Origin: Sino-Korean
• Type: Surname
• Usage: Chinese, Korean
• Variants: I, Yi (Romanization variante forms); also ethnic Chinese variation Li