How to Write 肛 (gāng) — Meaning “Anus.”

Imagine the left radical 月 as a piece of flesh, and the right side 工 as a little worker dressed in overalls standing near it. The worker is pointing to a specific spot on the body, reminding you that this character means a particular opening or area.

Start with the left radical 月: write the thin vertical stroke, then the horizontal hook, then the two inner horizontal strokes (the second is shorter). Then write the right side 工: first the horizontal stroke, then the vertical, and finally the bottom horizontal. A common mistake is making the left radical too wide - keep it narrow so the character remains balanced.

有 (yǒu, "have") has the same left radical 月 but a different right component (㇀ and 月 of its own), and it means "to have" or "to exist." 朊 (ruǎn) also uses 月 and 元 on the right, but it means "soft" or is used in chemistry for "protein." Unlike 肛, neither character refers to a specific body part.

肛 is used mainly in medical terms like 肛门 (gāng mén, anus) and 脱肛 (tuō gāng, prolapse). It is a formal or clinical word and is not used in casual conversation unless discussing health issues. Because it refers to a private body part, it is considered a sensitive term, so learners should use it with appropriate discretion.

Common words containing 肛 include: 肛门 (gāng mén) — Anus.; 脱肛 (tuō gāng) — prolapse of the anus; 肛周 (gāng zhōu) — Perianal; the area around the anus..