How to Write 绋 (fú) — Meaning “A large rope (often used for a hearse)”

Imagine a thick silk rope (纟) used to pull a hearse, guided by a person saying "弗" as in "forbidden" to show respect at a funeral. This visual links the rope to the solemn occasion of a funeral procession.

Write the left radical 纟 first with three strokes: slanted fold, slanted fold, and a short horizontal. Then add 弗 on the right, starting with the horizontal bend, then vertical, then two horizontal strokes. Common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it balanced with the narrow left radical.

绋 (fú) means a large funeral rope, while 纡 (yū) means to bend or twist, and 红 (hóng) means red. Visually, 绋 has the right part 弗 (not, a negative), 纡 has 于 (at, in), and 红 has 工 (work). Their meanings are unrelated despite sharing the silk radical.

绋 is rarely used in daily life and appears mainly in classical or formal funeral contexts, such as in the word 执绋 (zhí fú, to attend a funeral). It reflects an ancient tradition where mourners would hold ropes attached to the hearse as a sign of respect. Today it is mostly seen in literature or historical texts.

Common words containing 绋 include: 执绋 (zhí fú) — to attend a funeral; to hold the ropes of a hearse; 绋索 (fú suǒ) — A large rope or cable; 挽绋 (wǎn fú) — to hold the ropes of a hearse.