How to Write 揲 (dié) — Meaning “to sort out; to count”

Imagine using your hand (扌) to carefully sort and count a pile of dry leaves (枼) for a craft project. Each leaf represents a divination stalk, and you are dividing them with your fingers. This visual of handling leaves can remind you that 揲 means 'to sort out' or 'to count'.

The left radical 扌 must be narrow with the third stroke (提, a rising stroke) touching the second horizontal stroke, not crossing the vertical. On the right side, 枼 has five strokes: first a horizontal, then a vertical, then two small horizontal strokes inside, and finally a long horizontal line at the bottom. Many learners forget the two inner horizontals or make the bottom line too short.

Unlike 揲, which has 枼 as its right part, 挨 has a right side that looks like two connected mouths (矣), and it means 'to suffer' or 'to delay'. 挫 has a right side that looks like a sitting person (坐) and means 'to defeat' or 'to be frustrated'. Visually, the right parts are distinct: 枼 (揲), 矣 (挨), and 坐 (挫). In usage, 揲 is very rare and specialized for divination, while 挨 and 挫 appear in common vocabulary.

揲 is an uncommon character mainly found in classical texts about divination, such as the I Ching (易经). The phrase 揲蓍 (dié shī) refers to the ancient method of dividing yarrow stalks to form hexagrams. Today, you are unlikely to encounter 揲 in daily conversation, but it may appear in historical or philosophical writing about divination.

Common words containing 揲 include: 揲蓍 (dié shī) — to divide stalks for divination; 揲算 (dié suàn) — to calculate; 揲弄 (dié nòng) — to manipulate; to play with.