How to Write 邓 (dèng) — Meaning “Deng (a common surname)”

Think of the famous leader Deng Xiaoping raising his hand (又) on a hill (阝). The left side looks like a hill or mound, and the right side looks like a hand. This image connects the character to the common surname Deng.

Start by writing the left radical 阝: first a horizontal stroke, then a vertical hook. Then write the right side 又: horizontal, left-falling stroke, and finally right-falling stroke. Make sure the two sides are balanced—the left is narrow and the right is wider. A common mistake is writing the strokes of 又 in the wrong order.

All three characters share the left radical 阝, but their right sides are different. 邓 has 又, 邗 has 干 (gān), and 邘 has 于 (yú). These are all ancient place names used as surnames, but 邓 is much more common today. The visual difference is the shape of the right component.

邓 is primarily used as a surname in Chinese, such as in the name of Deng Xiaoping, the former Chinese leader. You might address someone as 邓先生 (Mr. Deng) or call a student 邓同学 (Student Deng). It is a very common surname, so you will see it in names and formal titles often.

Common words containing 邓 include: 邓先生 (dèng xiān shēng) — Mr. Deng; 姓邓 (xìng dèng) — Surname Deng; 邓同学 (dèng tóng xué) — Student Deng.