How to Write 捶 (chuí) — Meaning “to beat; to pound”

Picture your hand (扌) pounding a hanging object (垂). The right part 垂 looks like a vertical line with two horizontal branches, similar to a hammer hitting down repeatedly.

Write the left 扌 first with three strokes, then the right 垂 with eight strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too tall or unbalanced – the top of 垂 should be a short horizontal, then a long vertical line through the middle, and a final long horizontal at the bottom.

捶 has 垂 (a hanging shape) on the right, while 拜 has 手 (hand) on the right meaning to bow, and 括 has 舌 (tongue) on the right meaning to include. Visually, the right part of 捶 has several horizontal lines, unlike the simpler right parts of 拜 and 括.

You use 捶 when talking about pounding or beating, like in 捶背 (to pound someone's back for massage) which is a common practice in China. It also appears in emotional expressions such as 捶胸 (to beat one's chest) to show frustration or grief.

Common words containing 捶 include: 捶背 (chuí bèi) — to thump someone's back (massage); 捶打 (chuí dǎ) — to beat; to pound; 捶胸 (chuí xiōng) — to beat one's chest.