How to Write 腹 (fù) — Meaning “abdomen”

Imagine a belly (月) that repeatedly (复) grows bigger after eating, so 腹 means "abdomen." The right part 复 can be broken into 人 (person) on top and 夂 (slow walk) at bottom, suggesting a person walking slowly with a full belly. Visualize the 月 as a side view of a belly with the 复 showing its roundness.

Write the left radical 月 (4 strokes) first: a vertical left stroke, then horizontal hook, then two inner horizontals. The right part 复 has 9 strokes: start with the top left stroke (丿), then the horizontal line, then the lower part 夂 (3 strokes) followed by 日 (4 strokes). A common mistake is making the right side too wide—keep the 复 narrow so the whole character stays balanced.

腹 (abdomen) uses the flesh radical 月, while 望 (hope/look) and 朝 (dynasty/morning) both use the moon radical ⺼ (also written as 月 but with different meaning). Visually, 望 has 王 and 月 on top with 亡 below, and 朝 has 十早 on the left and 月 on the right. Their meanings are unrelated to body parts, so context helps distinguish them.

腹 is commonly used in medical or fitness contexts, such as 腹部 (abdomen), 腹泻 (diarrhea), and 腹肌 (abdominal muscles). In Chinese culture, the abdomen is considered the seat of the dantian (丹田), an important energy center in traditional practices like qigong. You might see 腹 in health articles or exercise routines.

Common words containing 腹 include: 腹部 (fù bù) — abdomen; 腹泻 (fù xiè) — diarrhea; 腹肌 (fù jī) — abdominal muscles.