How to Write 妣 (bǐ) — Meaning “deceased mother”

Imagine saying "bye" (sounds like bǐ) to your mother as she passes away, and the 女 radical reminds you she is a woman. Picture a woman (女) next to a tombstone with the word "bye" (比) written on it. This connects the sound and meaning for easy recall.

Write the left radical 女 first in three strokes: 撇点, 撇, 横. Then the right part 比 in four strokes: 横, 竖提, 撇, 竖弯钩. A common mistake is writing the first stroke of 比 as a dot instead of a horizontal line; it should be a short horizontal stroke. Also keep 女 narrow and 比 slightly wider.

妣 (bǐ) has the right side 比, which looks like two parallel strokes with a hook; 奴 (nú) has the right side 又, which resembles a cross shape; 奶 (nǎi) has the right side 乃, which is a hook-like stroke. Meaning-wise, 妣 refers specifically to a deceased mother, 奴 means slave, and 奶 means milk or grandmother.

妣 is rarely used in everyday speech; it appears in formal or literary contexts like obituaries, ancestral tablets, or respectful mentions of a deceased mother. Common compounds include 先妣 (xiān bǐ, 'my late mother') and 考妣 (kǎo bǐ, 'deceased parents'). It carries a tone of deep respect and filial piety, so it is not used casually.

Common words containing 妣 include: 先妣 (xiān bǐ) — deceased mother; 考妣 (kǎo bǐ) — Deceased father and mother.; 显妣 (xiǎn bǐ) — Deceased mother (honorific).