‘唇裂’ (chúnliè) literally means ‘lip split’ — ‘唇’ (chún) means ‘lip’, and ‘裂’ (liè) means ‘to split’ or ‘cleft’. It is the standard medical and general term for ‘cleft lip’, a congenital condition where the upper lip fails to fuse completely during fetal development. The word is neutral in register and used in clinical, public health, and everyday contexts when discussing birth conditions, medical care, or social support.

While often discussed alongside ‘腭裂’ (cleft palate), ‘唇裂’ specifically refers only to the lip abnormality. It may occur alone or together with other craniofacial differences. Awareness campaigns, surgical interventions (e.g., ‘唇裂修复手术’), and nonprofit work in China frequently use this term. Parents, doctors, and educators all recognize it as the accurate, respectful term — not colloquial or stigmatizing.