lack

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originates from a pictograph in oracle-bone script depicting a gaping mouth or open mouth—expressing deficiency or a need for more. Over time it evolved into its modern form with horizontal strokes, retaining the sense of lack or incompleteness.

Mnemonic: A gaping mouth (three horizontal lines stacked in a frame) signals lack or the need to fill something missing.

• 欤yú🔊

  (literary) (final particle similar to 嗎|吗[ma5], 呢[ne5] or 啊[a1])

  7 strokes

• 欧ōu🔊

  (used for transliteration)

  8 strokes

• 欣xīn🔊

  happy

  8 strokes

• 欨xū🔊

  (literary) to blow or breathe upon

  9 strokes

• 欬kài🔊

  to cough

  10 strokes

• 欱hē🔊

  variant of 喝[he1]

  10 strokes