How to Write 髑 (dú) — Meaning “skull”

Imagine a skull (a bone head) with a single "eye" socket shaped like the right component 蜀 — think of it as a "bone + Shu" (a Sichuan province name) but just focus on the bone part. Picture a skull saying "Dude!" (sounds like dú) to help recall the pinyin.

The left side 骨 has 9 strokes; ensure the top part has a small hook and the bottom strokes are balanced. The right side 蜀 is complex — write the left part first, then the top 罒, then the inner 口, and finally the hook and internal strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or forgetting the small stroke inside the hook.

髑 (dú) specifically means "skull" and is used in words like 髑髅, while 髓 (suǐ) means "marrow" (the soft tissue inside bones) or "essence." Visually, 髑 has a right side 蜀 (a historical place name), whereas 髓 has a right side 辶 (walk) over 月 (meat), indicating movement or softness.

髑 is rare in daily conversation but appears in classical texts, Buddhism (髑髅地 for Calvary/Golgotha), and horror or gothic contexts. The word 髑髅 is sometimes used in poetry or martial arts novels to describe a skull symbolically, but it is not part of the HSK exam.

Common words containing 髑 include: 髑髅 (dú lóu) — skull; 髑髅地 (dú lóu dì) — Calvary / Golgotha; 髑髅杯 (dú lóu bēi) — skull cup.