How to Write 愁 (chóu) — Meaning “to worry”

Think of "autumn heart" — imagine autumn leaves falling and your heart feels heavy with worry. Alternatively, picture a heart (心) being squeezed by the autumn (秋) season, creating a feeling of anxiety.

The left part 秋 is wider than the right part 心, which sits below it. A common mistake is making the heart radical too large or placing its dots unevenly. Pay attention to stroke order: write 秋 first (禾 then 火), then add the three strokes of 心.

㥯 (yǐn) means "hidden" or "secret" and has a different top component (肀 instead of 秋), while 恿 (yǒng) means "to urge" and combines 勇 with 心. In contrast, 愁 specifically conveys worry or anxiety, using the imagery of autumn on the heart.

愁 is commonly used in words like 发愁 (fā chóu, to worry) and 忧愁 (yōu chóu, worried/distressed). It often appears in everyday conversation to express concern about problems, and in Chinese poetry it symbolizes a melancholic mood, especially tied to autumn.

Common words containing 愁 include: 发愁 (fā chóu) — To worry; 忧愁 (yōu chóu) — Worried; distressed; 愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn) — pulling a long face.