How to Write 痹 (bì) — Meaning “numbness; paralysis; Bi syndrome”

Imagine a sick person (疒) who has been given (畀 sounds like "bee") a shot that causes their limbs to go numb — like a bee sting causing temporary paralysis. The top part of 畀 looks like a field (田) and the bottom like two hands (廾), so you can think of a farmer whose hands become numb from working in the field.

The radical 疒 must be written first: start with the top dot, then the horizontal stroke, followed by the left-falling stroke and the two dots inside (note: the left-falling stroke often extends slightly left). The inside component 畀 should be centered and not too large; the top 田 (five strokes) should be compact, and the bottom 廾 (three strokes: horizontal, horizontal, vertical) aligns under the 田. A common mistake is making the 田 too wide or misplacing the vertical stroke of 廾.

While all three share the illness radical 疒, 痹 (bì) has the component 畀 inside and specifically means numbness or paralysis (often related to joint pain in TCM). 疵 (cī) contains 此 (cǐ) and means a flaw or blemish, such as a skin defect. 痤 (cuó) contains 坐 (zuò) and refers to acne (like 痤疮). Visually, the right parts are very different: 畀 (田+廾), 此 (止+匕), and 坐 (two 人 on 土).

痹 is most commonly used in medical terms, especially in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For example, 麻痹 (mábì) means paralysis or to be off guard (as in 麻痹大意, meaning "to be careless"), and 痹症 (bìzhèng) refers to Bi syndrome — a TCM condition of pain, numbness, or swelling in joints caused by wind, cold, or dampness. The character is also found in classical Chinese medical texts, reflecting its long history in East Asian medicine.

Common words containing 痹 include: 麻痹 (má bì) — paralysis / to be off guard; 痹症 (bì zhèng) — Bi syndrome (joint pain or numbness); 痹痛 (bì tòng) — pain from Bi syndrome; arthralgia.