How to Write 丐 (gài) — Meaning “beggar; to beg”

Imagine the top horizontal line as a hat, and the curved hook below as a bent back with a hand reaching out. This picture of a beggar bowing under a hat helps you recall both the shape and the meaning of 丐.

Pay attention to the final stroke: it is a vertical hook that curves left, not a straight line. Also, the second horizontal stroke is shorter than the top one, so the character looks like a compressed shape with two horizontal lines and a hook at the bottom.

The main difference is that 丐 has two horizontal strokes (top and middle), while 丁 has only one horizontal. 丂 also has one horizontal, but its vertical hook is more curved. Visually, 丐 looks like a ‘T’ shape with an extra line inside.

It is most common in the word 乞丐 (qǐgài, beggar) and in the fictional martial arts sect 丐帮 (gài bāng). In fashion, 乞丐服 (qǐgài fú) means distressed clothing with rips. The character is rarely used alone and carries a sensitive social context.

Common words containing 丐 include: 乞丐 (qǐ gài) — beggar; 丐帮 (gài bāng) — Beggars' Gang (a fictional martial arts sect); 乞丐服 (qǐ gài fú) — beggar-style clothing; distressed clothing.