How to Write 徂 (cú) — Meaning “to go; to pass (time)”

Think of the left side 彳 as a person walking on a path, and the right side 且 as a calendar page that looks like a box with lines. Imagine the person walking past a calendar, with each step marking the passing of time — that is the meaning of 徂.

The left radical 彳 must be narrow, with two strokes: first a left-falling stroke, then a vertical stroke. The right part 且 has five strokes: first a vertical line on the left, then four horizontal lines from top to bottom. A common mistake is making the right part too tall or writing the horizontal lines unevenly.

All three share the left radical 彳, but the right sides differ: 徂 has 且, 彷 has 方, and 彸 has 中. Their meanings are also different — 徂 means to go or pass time, 彷 means to hesitate or wander, and 彸 means to be in a hurry or anxious. Visually, 且 looks like a block with lines, 方 is a square, and 中 is a box with a vertical line.

徂 is very rare in everyday modern Chinese and appears mostly in classical literature or set phrases like 徂暑 (the passing of summer heat) and the place name 徂徕 (Mt. Culai in Shandong). You might also see it in poetic writing to describe the flow of time or a journey, but it is not used in casual conversation.

Common words containing 徂 include: 徂暑 (cú shǔ) — the passing of summer heat; 徂徕 (cú lái) — Culai (a place name, specifically Mt. Culai); 徂迁 (cú qiān) — to pass away; to change.