How to Write 怱 (cōng) — Meaning “hurried; hasty”

Imagine a heart (心) that is running away in a rush, with the top part 匆 looking like a person with arms flailing while hurrying. This visual of a panicked heart helps you recall 怱 means 'hurried' or 'hasty'.

The top component 匆 has a horizontal stroke that should cross through the vertical stroke, and the small hook at the bottom of 匆 is important. Note that 怱 has 9 strokes total; a common mistake is to make the top part too wide, so keep it compact above the 心 radical.

忌 (jì, 'jealousy; taboo') has 己 (self) above 心, while 忍 (rěn, 'endure') has 刃 (blade) above 心. 怱 has 匆 above 心, so visually the top part differs: 匆 has a crossing horizontal stroke, whereas 忌 and 忍 do not. In meaning, 怱 relates to hurry, not jealousy or endurance.

怱 is most common in the words 怱忙 and 怱怱, both meaning 'in a hurry' or 'hastily', used in everyday speech and writing. It is less formal than 匆忙; you may see 怱怱 in literature to describe someone rushing off. Culturally, haste is sometimes discouraged in Chinese philosophy, but 怱 simply describes the action without strong judgment.

Common words containing 怱 include: 怱忙 (cōng máng) — in a hurry; hastily; 怱怱 (cōng cōng) — hurriedly; in a rush; 怱促 (cōng cù) — hurried; hasty.