How to Write 寡 (guǎ) — Meaning “Few; scant; widow.”

Imagine a widow living alone under a roof (宀), and her strength (力) is divided (分) because she has few helpers, so she has very little. This picture of a lonely person with divided strength helps you recall that 寡 means "few" or "widow."

Write the roof radical 宀 wide enough to cover the components below. The bottom part has 分 on the left (written as 八 then 刀) and 力 on the right; keep them balanced so they don't stick out. A common mistake is making the left part too small or the right part too tall, which ruins the symmetry.

寡 (few/widow) has a roof over 分 and 力, giving a divided look. 富 (wealthy) has a roof over 畐 (a full container), looking plump and full, opposite in meaning. 寐 (sleep) has a roof over 未 and other parts, and its bottom is more compact; it means sleep, not scarcity.

寡 appears in formal or literary words like 寡言 (taciturn), 寡头 (oligarch), and 优柔寡断 (indecisive). The word 寡妇 means "widow," and historically widows faced strict social expectations, but today the term is neutral and descriptive.

Common words containing 寡 include: 寡言 (guǎ yán) — Taciturn; of few words.; 寡头 (guǎ tóu) — Oligarch.; 优柔寡断 (yōu róu guǎ duàn) — Indecisive; irresolute..