How to Write 诽 (fěi) — Meaning “To slander; to defame”

Think of 讠 as "words" and 非 as "non" or "wrong." So, when you say wrong words about someone, you are slandering them. This visual of "wrong speech" directly ties to the meaning of defamation.

Pay attention to the stroke order: the left radical 讠 is written first (dot, horizontal fold, vertical), then the right side 非 (start with the left vertical, then the three horizontals and two verticals in sequence). A common mistake is making the right side 非 too wide or uneven; keep the two halves balanced and compact.

诽 (slander) uses 非 (wrong) on the right, while 诓 (to deceive) uses 匡 (a frame) and 诔 (eulogy) uses 耒 (a plow). Visually, the right side differs clearly. In usage, 诽 is for false accusations, 诓 is for tricking someone, and 诔 is for praising the dead.

诽 appears in formal or legal contexts, such as 诽谤罪 (defamation lawsuit) or 诽议 (to criticize maliciously). A cultural note: the term 腹诽 (inward criticism) comes from ancient China, where one could be punished for silently criticizing the emperor, showing the historical weight of this character.

Common words containing 诽 include: 诽谤 (fěi bàng) — To slander; to libel; 腹诽 (fù fěi) — to criticize inwardly; 诽议 (fěi yì) — To criticize; to slander.