How to Write 拊 (fǔ) — Meaning “To pat / To slap”

Imagine you use your hand (扌) to gently pat a friend on the back while saying "Fǔ" — it sounds like the English word "foo" as in a friendly greeting. This connects the hand action, the sound, and the meaning of patting.

Write the left radical 扌 first with three strokes (horizontal, vertical hook, lift). Then write the right part 付: first the vertical 亻 (two strokes) and then 寸 (three strokes). Make sure the 扌 part is narrow and stays on the left, while the right side is wider — common mistakes include making the hand radical too large or mixing up the order of 亻 and 寸.

拊 (fǔ) means 'to pat' or 'to slap' and uses the component 付 on the right. 托 (tuō) means 'to hold in the palm' or 'to support' and has 乇 on the right. 㧜 is a rare character; its exact meaning is unclear but it looks different. Visually, the right side of 拊 has 亻 and 寸, while 托 has 乇 (a bent line with a dot).

拊 appears mainly in formal or literary expressions, such as 拊掌 (fǔ zhǎng, 'to clap hands') and 拊背 (fǔ bèi, 'to pat someone on the back' — often as encouragement). It is not common in everyday conversation, but you may encounter it in classical texts or idioms.

Common words containing 拊 include: 拊掌 (fǔ zhǎng) — To clap hands; 拊摩 (fǔ mó) — To stroke / To caress; 拊背 (fǔ bèi) — To pat someone on the back.