How to Write 畜 (chù/xù) — Meaning “Livestock or to raise animals”

Imagine a field (田) with a small mysterious creature (玄) inside—a "livestock" animal like a cow or sheep. The top part looks like a fence or pen, and the bottom part is the animal itself. This image helps you recall that 畜 means livestock.

The top part is the radical 田, which must be written with clear, even strokes — do not make it too narrow. The bottom part 玄 has a left-falling stroke (撇) that should not cross into the field area above. Keep the two parts balanced, with the 田 slightly wider than 玄.

畜 (livestock) has a field (田) on top and a complex bottom (玄), while 画 (picture) has a field with a border and an inner结构—it means to draw or a painting. 甾 (a rare character meaning a kind of organic compound) looks like a field with three vertical lines inside—it has no relation to animals. Pay attention to the bottom parts to tell them apart.

畜 (chù) appears in words like 畜生 (beast, often used as an insult) and 家畜 (domestic livestock). It is also used in 畜牧 (animal husbandry), but note the pronunciation changes to xù in this word. Culturally, calling someone 畜生 is a strong insult, comparing them to an animal.

Common words containing 畜 include: 畜生 (chù sheng) — Beast or brute; often used as an insult.; 家畜 (jiā chù) — Livestock; 畜牧 (xù mù) — Animal husbandry.