How to Write 鼢 (fén) — Meaning “Mole-rat”

Imagine a mole-rat using its claws to 'split' the earth apart — the right side 分 means 'to divide' or 'split.' So you can remember: a rat (鼠) that splits (分) the ground — that's the mole-rat (鼢).

Write the left radical 鼠 first; it has 13 strokes and should be compact, not too wide. The right part 分 should be slightly narrower and sit neatly beside the radical; a common mistake is making the radical too large or the 分 too small, upsetting the balance. Practice keeping both halves similar in height.

All three share the radical 鼠, but the right parts differ: 鼢 has 分, 鼩 has 句, and 鼬 has 由. They refer to different animals: 鼢 is a mole-rat, 鼩 is a shrew, and 鼬 is a weasel. Visually, look at the right component to tell them apart.

鼢 is a specialized character mainly found in zoology or biology texts about mole-rats, especially the word 鼢鼠 (fén shǔ). It is not used in everyday conversation or common writing, so you will mostly see it in scientific descriptions, nature documentaries, or animal encyclopedias.

Common words containing 鼢 include: 鼢鼠 (fén shǔ) — Mole-rat; 鼢子 (fén zi) — Mole-rat; 鼢洞 (fén dòng) — Mole-rat burrow.