How to Write 弓 (gōng) — Meaning “bow (for archery)”

Imagine a simple archery bow drawn from left to right: the first stroke is the top curve, the second stroke is the bowstring, and the third stroke is the bottom hook. You can also think of the number 3 (its stroke count) as the three main parts of a bow: the upper limb, the string, and the lower limb.

The stroke order is horizontal left curve, then vertical hook with a slight curve, and finally the bottom hook that curves upward. A common mistake is making the middle stroke too straight — it should have a gentle curve to resemble a bowstring, and the bottom hook should not be too long or too short.

弓 means 'bow' as a noun, while 引 (yǐn) means 'to pull' or 'to lead' and contains 弓 as a component plus a vertical line to show pulling action. 弗 (fú) is a negative adverb meaning 'not' and has a different structure (like two bows crossed), so it is visually distinct and unrelated in meaning.

弓 appears in common words like 弓箭 (bow and arrow), 弹弓 (slingshot), and 拉弓 (to draw a bow). Culturally, archery was a key skill for ancient Chinese warriors and is featured in idioms such as 杯弓蛇影, which describes seeing a snake reflection in a cup and mistaking it for a real snake.

Common words containing 弓 include: 弹弓 (dàn gōng) — Slingshot; 弓箭 (gōng jiàn) — bow and arrow; 拉弓 (lā gōng) — To draw a bow.