How to Write 擘 (bò) — Meaning “to break; to split; thumb”

Imagine your thumb (one meaning of 擘) pressing down on a crack in a piece of wood to split it apart—the top part 辟 looks like a 'split' and the bottom 手 is the hand doing the work. This visual can help you recall both the 'splitting' action and the 'thumb' meaning.

The top part 辟 has 13 strokes, so be careful to write it in the correct order: first the left side (including the opening and the inner parts), then the right side. A common mistake is making the bottom 手 too tall—it should be compact and sit under the top component, not extend too far down.

擘 focuses on breaking or splitting with the hand (and also means 'thumb'), while 摩 emphasizes rubbing or stroking (as in 按摩). 擎 means to lift or hold up (as in 引擎). Visually, 擘 has 辟 on top, 摩 has 麻 on top, and 擎 has 敬 on top—each top component gives a distinct semantic clue.

擘 appears mostly in formal or literary contexts, like 巨擘 meaning 'titan' or 'leading authority' (someone who 'stands out' like a thumb). 擘画 is used for 'to plan' or 'to layout' in business or government settings, and 擘肌分理 is a classical idiom meaning to analyze something in extreme detail.

Common words containing 擘 include: 巨擘 (jù bò) — titan; leading authority; master; 擘画 (bò huà) — to plan; to layout; 擘肌分理 (bò jī fēn lǐ) — to analyze minutely; to dissect carefully.