How to Write 轭 (è) — Meaning “Yoke”

Imagine a cart (车) with a curved yoke (厄) pressing down on an ox's shoulders. The right side 厄 looks like a bent arm or a shoulder strap, which helps you recall that a yoke is a burden-carrying device.

When writing 轭, make the left radical 车 narrow and slightly taller than the right part. The right component 厄 starts with a horizontal stroke, followed by a left-falling stroke, then a horizontal hook and a curved vertical hook — beginners often forget the final hook and write a straight vertical instead.

轭 has the right component 厄 (a yoke shape), while 斩 has 斤 on the right, meaning 'axe', and means 'to chop'. 軎 has a different right side (冖-like) and refers to the metal cap on an axle end. Visually, 轭's right side has a downward hook; 斩's right side ends with a vertical line.

轭 is not common in everyday speech but appears in literary or historical texts, such as 负轭 (fù è) meaning 'to bear a yoke' or 'to endure a heavy burden'. It is also used in technical terms for horse or ox harness gear, like 轭具 (è jù, harness equipment), and carries a cultural connotation of servitude or oppression.

Common words containing 轭 include: 轭头 (è tóu) — Yoke head; 负轭 (fù è) — to be under the yoke; 轭具 (è jù) — Harness or yoke gear.