How to Write 囫 (hú) — Meaning “Whole / Entire”

Imagine a solid round object inside a square box with a "do not" sign (勿) meaning "do not break it" — keep it whole. Another trick: the shape looks like a whole cookie with a cross inside.

First write the outer 囗 as three strokes: left vertical, top and right corner, bottom horizontal. Then add the inner 勿 with its four strokes. Make sure the inner part is centered and not too large, otherwise it will touch the outer box. Common mistake: writing the inner 勿 with incorrect stroke order or making it too wide.

囫 has 勿 (do not) inside the enclosure, while 囚 has 人 (person) inside, meaning prisoner. 四 has a completely different inner structure (a shape like two lines). Remember: 囫 is for "whole" and only appears in 囫囵, whereas 囚 means imprisonment and 四 is number four.

囫 is almost never used alone; it appears only in the compound words 囫囵 (whole) and the idiom 囫囵吞枣 (to swallow a date whole), which means to learn something without understanding it. This idiom is a common cultural reference about the importance of careful study.

Common words containing 囫 include: 囫囵 (hú lún) — Whole / Entire / In one piece; 囫囵吞枣 (hú lún tūn zǎo) — To swallow a date whole (to learn without understanding); 囫囵个儿 (hú lún gè ér) — Whole / In one piece (colloquial).