How to Write 胡 (hú) — Meaning “Beard; recklessly; non-Han ethnic groups”

Imagine an old (古) man with a long beard that curves like a crescent moon (月). This mental image links the two parts to the meaning 'beard'. You can also think of 'old moon beard' to recall the shape and pronunciation.

Write the left part 古 narrow and balanced, then add the right part 月 slightly wider. A common mistake is making 古 too wide or forgetting that the top horizontal of 古 should be shorter than the bottom one. Also, ensure the right-side 月 has a clear hook at the bottom of its vertical stroke.

胡 has 古 on the left and 月 on the right, while 朋 consists of two 月 side by side. 朊 has 月 on the left and 元 on the right. Visually, 胡 is the only one with the 古 component, so you can remember 'old + flesh equals beard'.

胡 appears in everyday words like 胡子 (beard), 胡说 (to talk nonsense), and 胡同 (a traditional alleyway in Beijing). It also conveys recklessness in words such as 胡闹 (to act foolishly). Culturally, 胡同 comes from a Mongolian term and represents a unique part of Beijing's old city layout.

Common words containing 胡 include: 胡子 (hú zi) — Beard; mustache; 胡说 (hú shuō) — To talk nonsense; 'Nonsense!'; 胡同 (hú tòng) — Hutong; alleyway.