How to Write 拐 (guǎi) — Meaning “To turn / To kidnap / Crutch”

Imagine a crutch (拐杖) shaped like a bent L — it helps you turn a corner. The left radical 扌 looks like a hand holding the crutch, and the right part 另 looks like a person leaning on it. This image connects the three meanings: turn, crutch, and even kidnap (a hand grabbing someone).

Write the left radical 扌 first (horizontal, vertical hook, lift). The right part 另 starts with 口 (square) and then 力 (power) — be careful not to write 刀 (knife) at the bottom. The overall shape should be narrow on the left and slightly wider on the right, with the bottom of 另 aligned with the bottom of 扌.

㧜 is a rare, non‑standard character; 拐 is common and means turn, kidnap, or crutch. 托 (tuō) means "to hold in the palm" or "to support," and its right part is 乇 (a sprout), not 另. Visually, 拐 has a square 口 and 力, while 托 has a short vertical and a curved stroke. Their pinyin and meanings are completely different.

拐 is very common in daily directions: 左拐 (turn left) and 拐弯 (turn a corner) appear on street signs and in taxi commands. It is also used in the serious term 拐卖 (human trafficking), especially 拐卖儿童 (child trafficking), which is a major social issue in China. Because of this, the character carries a negative tone when referring to kidnapping, but a neutral tone when used for turning.

Common words containing 拐 include: 拐弯 (guǎi wān) — To turn a corner; 向左拐 (xiàng zuǒ guǎi) — turn left; 拐角 (guǎi jiǎo) — Corner.