How to Write 拆 (chāi) — Meaning “to tear open; to dismantle; to demolish”

Imagine your hand (扌) holding a sign that says 'REJECT' (斥) because you are rejecting the current shape of a box by tearing it open. This visual helps you link 拆 to the meaning of dismantling or opening something.

The right part 斥 has a short horizontal line at the top, followed by a left-falling stroke and a right-falling stroke; do not confuse it with 斤. Also, the hand radical 扌 should be written narrow while the right side is wider, and the total 8 strokes follow the order: left side first, then the right part from top to bottom.

拆 has the right side 斥 (a combination of strokes meaning 'to reject'), while 托 has the right side 乇 (which looks like a sprout and means 'to hold in the palm'). 㧜 is a very rare character; 拆 is common and means to tear open, whereas 托 means to support or entrust.

You will see 拆 in daily life when opening letters (拆信), taking apart packages (拆开), and especially in urban development where old buildings are torn down and residents relocated (拆迁). The character often appears on signs and notices about demolition projects in cities.

Common words containing 拆 include: 拆开 (chāi kāi) — to open; to take apart; 拆迁 (chāi qiān) — to demolish and relocate; 拆信 (chāi xìn) — to open a letter.