How to Write 薅 (hāo) — Meaning “to pull up (weeds); to pull out (hair)”

Imagine a farmer using a hoe (like the shape of the bottom part) to pull out grass (艹) from a field. Picture the farmer saying 'hao' as he yanks out the weeds to remember the pronunciation hāo.

Pay attention to the bottom part: it is written with a left-falling stroke then a horizontal, not a single vertical. The grass radical on top is narrow, while the lower component is wider. Common mistake is to make the bottom too tall; keep it balanced and compact.

薅 means to pull up weeds or hair, while 蒟 (jǔ) refers to a type of pepper plant and 蒻 (ruò) indicates tender or weak plants. Visually, 薅 has a more complex bottom part, whereas 蒟 and 蒻 have simpler lower components (句 and 弱 respectively).

薅 is used literally for weeding (薅草) or pulling hair (薅头发). It is also common in online slang 薅羊毛, meaning to grab a bargain or take advantage of deals, like 'getting free stuff' from promotions. This usage comes from the idea of plucking wool from a sheep without shearing.

Common words containing 薅 include: 薅草 (hāo cǎo) — to weed; to pull up weeds; 薅羊毛 (hāo yáng máo) — to take advantage of a deal; to get a bargain; 薅头发 (hāo tóu fà) — to pull one's hair.