How to Write 岵 (hù) — Meaning “Wooded hill”

Imagine a very old (古) mountain (山) that is so ancient it has become covered in thick forest. Or think of the sound "hu" as in "who" — ask "Who lives on the wooded hill?" to link the sound and meaning.

Write the left radical 山 first (3 strokes) then the right part 古 (5 strokes) for a total of 8 strokes. For 古, the correct stroke order is: horizontal, vertical, vertical, horizontal bend, horizontal. A common mistake is making the left 山 too wide — keep it narrow, and ensure the bottom of 古 lines up with the bottom of 山.

Visually, 岵 has 古 on the right, 屹 has 乞 (yì), and 屺 has 己 (qǐ). Meaning-wise: 岵 is a wooded hill, 屹 means towering or rising steeply, and 屺 is a bare hill without trees. So 岵 implies vegetation, while 屹 and 屺 do not.

岵 is rarely used in daily conversation and appears mainly in classical or literary contexts. It is famously used in the idiom 陟岵 (zhì hù, climbing a hill to miss one's father) and in the metaphorical expression 岵屺 (hù qǐ) representing parents (father = 岵, mother = 屺). These terms come from ancient poetry and are still understood in formal or poetic writing.

Common words containing 岵 include: 岵山 (hù shān) — Wooded mountain; 陟岵 (zhì hù) — climbing a hill to miss one's father; 岵屺 (hù qǐ) — Parents (metaphorical).