How to Write 骅 (huá) — Meaning “chestnut horse; excellent horse”

Imagine a horse (马) that is so beautiful and splendid, it is decorated with flowers, representing 华 (which can mean flower or splendid). So you can think of 骅 as a 'flower horse' — a chestnut-colored horse that looks as magnificent as a flower.

Write the left radical 马 (horse) first with three strokes: horizontal, vertical fold hook, and a short horizontal. Then add the right part 华 with its seven strokes; pay attention to the vertical stroke going straight down through the center of the whole character, and make sure the bottom horizontal of 华 is slightly longer than the top one for balance.

骅 (huá) specifically refers to a fine chestnut horse, while 驱 (qū) means 'to drive' or 'to gallop' and is used as a verb. 驳 (bó) means 'to refute' or 'parti-colored', often seen in words like 反驳 (to argue against). Visually, 骅 has 华 on the right, 驱 has 区, and 驳 has 爻 on the right.

Today, 骅 is quite rare and mostly appears in classical literature, poetry, or formal names. It is commonly seen in the word 骅骝 (huá liú), which refers to a legendary fine horse, and in the idiom 骅骝开道 (a fine steed leading the way), symbolizing a talented person clearing the path for others.

Common words containing 骅 include: 骅骝 (huá liú) — Fine steed (Hualiu); 骅骝开道 (huá liú kāi dào) — A fine steed leading the way; 骅骝之姿 (huá liú zhī zī) — The posture of a fine steed.