bow

Origin & mnemonic

This radical is an ideograph depicting a bow (weapon). Its curved shape reflects the structure of an archery bow as seen in ancient seal script and oracle-bone script.

Mnemonic: Three flowing strokes curve together to form a bow's shape: two arcs on the sides with a taut string in the middle.

• 张zhāng🔊

  to open up

  HSK 3

  11 strokes

• 强qiáng🔊

  strong

  HSK 3

  11 strokes

• 弹dàn🔊

  crossball

  HSK 5

  11 strokes

• 弶jiàng🔊

  snare

  11 strokes

• 弸péng🔊

  strong bow

  11 strokes

• 弼bì🔊

  to assist

  12 strokes

• 彀gòu🔊

  to draw a bow to the full

  13 strokes

• 别bié🔊

  to leave; to part (from)

  HSK 1

  14 strokes

• 𫸩kōu🔊

  nock at end of bow

  14 strokes

• 彉guō🔊

  variant of 彍|𭚦[guo1]

  14 strokes

• 弥mí🔊

  brimming or overflowing

  17 strokes

• 𭚦guō🔊

  (literary) to draw one's bow to the full

  17 strokes

• 弯wān🔊

  to bend

  HSK 4

  22 strokes