How to Write 夬 (guài) — Meaning “Guai (a character or hexagram name)”

Imagine a big (大) arrow pointing straight down with a hook at the end, as if making a firm, decisive 'cut.' The sound 'guài' sounds like 'guy'—picture a determined guy making a bold choice.

Write the three strokes of 大 first (horizontal, left diagonal, right diagonal), then finish with a straight vertical line that ends in a hook. A common mistake is making the vertical hook too short or omitting the hook, so ensure it extends clearly below the cross.

Compared to 大, 夬 has an extra vertical hook stroke piercing through the center; 大 is just three strokes without any vertical line. Unlike 买 (meaning 'to buy'), which has a top horizontal and a bottom similar to 头, 夬 lacks any horizontal crossing at the top and uses only one vertical hook.

夬 is rarely used in everyday conversation but appears in classical texts like the I Ching as the name of a hexagram (夬卦). You might encounter it in phrases like 夬夬 (decisive and firm) when discussing resolute action in philosophical or literary contexts.

Common words containing 夬 include: 夬卦 (guài guà) — The Guai Hexagram (from the I Ching); 夬 (guài) — Guai (a character or hexagram name); 夬夬 (guài guài) — Decisive and firm.