How to Write 愎 (bì) — Meaning “headstrong / perverse”

Imagine a person with a heart (忄) who keeps repeating (复) the same action without changing. This visual of a heart stuck on repeat helps you recall that 愎 means headstrong or obstinate.

The left radical 忄 is narrow and consists of a dot, a dot, and a vertical line. The right part 复 begins with the 夂 component (three strokes) then a 日 below; do not confuse it with 夏. Keep the left side slim and the right side balanced so the character does not look lopsided.

愎 has the right part 复 (repeat), while 悃 has 困 (difficulty) and 悄 has 肖 (resemble). In meaning, 愎 means stubborn, 悃 means sincere, and 悄 means quiet. Visually, 愎's right side is taller with a 夂 on top, whereas 悃 is square and 悄 is slender.

愎 is rarely used by itself; it mainly appears in the idiom 刚愎自用, which means stubborn and self-opinionated. This phrase is common in formal writing or speeches to criticize someone who refuses advice. You may also see it in older or literary texts, but it is not used in everyday conversation.

Common words containing 愎 include: 刚愎自用 (gāng bì zì yòng) — obstinate and self-opinionated; 刚愎 (gāng bì) — obstinate / headstrong; 愎谏 (bì jiàn) — to stubbornly reject advice.