How to Write 郛 (fú) — Meaning “Outer city wall”

Think of 阝 as a city wall and 孚 as a "floating" or "outer" layer. Imagine a large ring around a city that is extra — like a floating second wall. This helps you remember that 郛 means an outer wall beyond the main city.

The left radical 阝 (a sloping cliff shape) is written in two strokes: first a short horizontal turn, then a vertical line that curves. The right side 孚 must be written with careful balance — the top 爫 (claw) is wide, and the bottom 子 is centered. A common mistake is making the right side too tall; keep it similar in height to the left.

郛 means "outer city wall," while 邮 (yóu) means "mail" or "postal" and 邯 (hán) is part of the city name Handan. Visually, 郛 has the 孚 component on the right, whereas 邮 has 由 and 邯 has 甘. Each uses the same left radical 阝 but with different right parts that change meaning completely.

郛 is very rare in modern daily language and mainly appears in historical or literary contexts, such as describing ancient city fortifications. It is not in HSK, so learners may encounter it only in classical texts or place-name studies. The word 郛郭 refers to a city's double wall system, common in ancient Chinese city planning.

Common words containing 郛 include: 郛郭 (fú guō) — Outer city walls; 郛外 (fú wài) — Outside the outer city wall; 郛内 (fú nèi) — Inside the outer city wall.