How to Write 恻 (cè) — Meaning “Sorrowful or pitying.”

Imagine a heart (忄) that feels sad because it follows a strict rule (则). The pinyin cè sounds like "sigh," so you can think of a heart sighing with pity. This links the shape and sound to the emotion.

When writing 恻, first write the left radical 忄 as two dots then a vertical line, making sure the vertical is straight. Then write 则: start with 贝 (four strokes) followed by the knife radical 刂 on the right, and keep all parts balanced. A common mistake is making the heart radical too wide or the 则 part too narrow.

恻 uses the component 则 on the right, while 忡 uses 中 (middle) and 忤 uses 午 (noon). Their meanings differ: 恻 is sorrow or pity, 忡 means anxious, and 忤 means disobedient or defiant. Visually, the right sides are clearly different.

恻 appears mostly in formal or literary contexts, such as the phrase 恻隐之心 (cè yǐn zhī xīn), which means a compassionate heart. It is not common in everyday conversation but is important in classical Chinese philosophy, especially from Mencius. You might also see it in poetry or serious writing to describe deep sorrow.

Common words containing 恻 include: 恻隐 (cè yǐn) — Compassion or pity.; 凄恻 (qī cè) — heartbroken; sorrowful; 恻然 (cè rán) — Moved to pity or sorrowful..