How to Write 奥 (ào) — Meaning “mysterious; profound”

Imagine a big (大) person holding a grain of rice (米) inside a mysterious box, wondering what is inside. The rice represents something small and hidden, while the big frame suggests the depth of the mystery. This visual helps link the shape to the meaning "mysterious."

Start with the top stroke (丿), then write the outer frame: left vertical, top horizontal, right vertical, and bottom horizontal. The inner part 米 must be centered and not too large, with the vertical stroke of 米 crossing exactly through the middle. A common mistake is making the inner 米 too wide, which disrupts the balanced square shape.

奥 contains 米 (rice) inside a frame with 大 on the bottom, while 套 (tào, cover) has 大 on top and ⺮ (bamboo) below. 奘 (zàng, large) is simpler: 大 on top and 士 (scholar) below. Visually, 奥 is more enclosed and has the distinct rice component, whereas 套 looks like a cover and 奘 is just two stacked parts.

奥 is most commonly used in 奥运会 (àoyùnhuì, Olympic Games), a major international sports event, and 奥数 (àoshù, Mathematical Olympiad), a competitive math program. It also appears in 奥秘 (àomì, mystery), describing deep secrets, and is often associated with profound or hidden knowledge in cultural contexts.

Common words containing 奥 include: 奥运会 (ào yùn huì) — Olympic Games; 奥数 (ào shù) — Mathematical Olympiad; 奥秘 (ào mì) — mystery; secret.