How to Write 俛 (fǔ) — Meaning “to bow; to look down (variant of 俯)”

Imagine a person (亻) who wants to be 'free' (免 sounds like 'free') — so they bow their head to avoid eye contact or trouble. This visual helps you connect the character to the idea of bowing down.

First write the left radical 亻 as two strokes: a slanted dash then a vertical line. The right part 免 has 7 strokes: start with a left-falling stroke, then a horizontal hook, vertical line, two horizontals, another left-falling, and finish with a vertical hook. A common mistake is adding a dot at the end like 兔 — remember 免 has no dot.

The right side of 俛 is 免 (avoid/exempt), while 伯 has 白 (white) and 估 has 古 (ancient). The meanings are very different: 俛 means 'to bow,' 伯 means 'uncle,' and 估 means 'to estimate.' Visually, look for the vertical hook at the end of 免 to spot 俛.

俛 is a less common variant of 俯 (fǔ) and appears mainly in classical or literary contexts, like 俛首 (to bow the head) or 俛仰 (a very short time). You won't hear it in daily conversation, but it may show up in poetry or formal writing to express humility or a quick moment.

Common words containing 俛 include: 俛首 (fǔ shǒu) — to bow one's head; 俛仰 (fǔ yǎng) — looking down and up; in a flash; 俛思 (fǔ sī) — to ponder; to think deeply (with head bowed).