How to Write 貂 (diāo) — Meaning “Mink / Sable”

Imagine a mink (豸) calling out (召) to its friend. The left side looks like a small animal with a long tail, and the right side 召 means 'to call'—so picture a mink making a sound to help you recall both the shape and sound of diāo.

Pay attention to the left radical 豸: it has 7 strokes and its bottom part curves like a tail, ending with a small hook. The right side 召 is narrower; write the top 刀 first, then the mouth 口 below. A common mistake is making the radical too wide or forgetting the hook on the tail.

貂 (mink/sable) has the radical 豸 with the phonetic 召, while 豹 (leopard) uses 豸 with 勺, and 豺 (jackal) uses 豸 with 才. Visually, the right side differs: 貂 has 召 (top 刀 + 口), 豹 has 勺 (a wrap-like shape), and 豺 has 才 (a horizontal stroke through a vertical line).

貂 is most common in words like 貂皮 (mink fur) and 貂绒 (mink velvet), referring to luxury materials for coats or accessories. The name 貂蝉 (Diaochan) is famous from Chinese history and legend as one of the Four Great Beauties, so the character often appears in cultural stories about beauty and cunning.

Common words containing 貂 include: 貂皮 (diāo pí) — Mink fur; 貂蝉 (diāo chán) — Diaochan (a legendary beauty); 貂绒 (diāo róng) — mink velvet.