How to Write 扈 (hù) — Meaning “retinue / to follow”

Imagine a retinue (扈从) standing by a door (户) while a domineering (跋扈) leader barks orders through the mouth (口). The bent shape below looks like a follower bowing, reminding you of the character's meaning.

Write the top radical 户 first, making it wide and balanced. Then add a small 口 in the middle, and finally the 巴 below it, with the vertical stroke crossing through cleanly. A common mistake is making the lower part too tall; keep it compact and centered under the door.

Unlike 扁 (biǎn) which has 冊 (book) below the 户, and 扂 (diàn) which has 占 on the right side, 扈 has a combination of 口 and 巴 below the 户. Visually, 扈's lower part is more rounded, while 扁 is flatter and 扂 has a different right component.

扈 is mainly found in classical or formal words like 扈从 (retinue) and 跋扈 (domineering). In modern Chinese, 跋扈 is the most common usage, describing someone who is arrogant and overbearing. You will rarely see 扈 in everyday conversation, but it appears in historical texts and idioms.

Common words containing 扈 include: 扈从 (hù cóng) — retinue / entourage; 跋扈 (bá hù) — domineering; bossy; 桑扈 (sāng hù) — Greenfinch (a type of bird).