How to Write 腠 (còu) — Meaning “interstices of the skin”

Picture the flesh (月) of your body having tiny holes like the openings in a musical instrument, since 奏 means to play music. This visual links the body's skin pores to the idea of music passing through small gaps.

The right part 奏 has a bottom section 廾 that looks like two crossed hands, not a character like 井 or 开. Write the right side in three strokes: horizontal, then vertical, then a left-falling stroke. Common mistakes include writing the bottom too wide or confusing it with similar shapes.

望 means 'to gaze' or 'hope' and has a different right side (王+月), while 朝 means 'morning' or 'dynasty' and has a right side 龺. In contrast, 腠 is specific to Chinese medicine, describing skin pores, and its right side is 奏.

This character appears mainly in traditional Chinese medicine texts, such as discussing 腠理 (skin texture and pores) and conditions like 腠理开 (pores open) or 腠理闭 (pores closed). It is not used in everyday conversation but is important for learners interested in medical terms or classical literature.

Common words containing 腠 include: 腠理 (còu lǐ) — skin texture and pores; 腠理开 (còu lǐ kāi) — opening of the skin pores; 腠理闭 (còu lǐ bì) — closing of the skin pores.