How to Write 牚 (chēng) — Meaning “prop / support”

Imagine a tooth (牙) struggling (争) to hold up a heavy shelf — that is the prop or support. The picture of a tooth pushing upward against pressure helps link the shape to the meaning.

Write the top part 牙 first (4 strokes), then the bottom part 争 (8 strokes). Keep the 牙 narrower so the character doesn't look too wide; the 争's upper strokes should be slightly compressed to fit under 牙. A common mistake is making the top too big or misplacing the slant of 牙's left stroke.

牚柱 (chēng zhù) means 'support pillar', often used in construction or engineering. 牚子 (chēng zi) refers to a 'prop or brace', like a wooden stick used to keep a door open. 牚拒 (chēng jù) means 'to prop up', used in contexts like propping up a falling wall.

牚 is an uncommon character, primarily found in technical or dialectal vocabulary related to supporting structures. It appears in old architectural texts or regional speech about makeshift props, but is rarely used in daily conversation. Learning it helps with reading specialized literature on traditional building techniques.

Common words containing 牚 include: 牚柱 (chēng zhù) — support pillar; 牚子 (chēng zi) — prop / brace; 牚拒 (chēng jù) — to prop up.