How to Write 徊 (huái) — Meaning “To pace back and forth”

Imagine a person (彳) who keeps walking in a circle (回) because they cannot make up their mind. This visual of a person going around and around helps you recall that 徊 means "to pace back and forth" or "to hesitate."

Write the left radical 彳 first (two strokes), then the right part 回 (six strokes). Inside 回, draw two vertical lines that do not touch the top or bottom — a common mistake is connecting them completely. Keep the left side narrower and the right side balanced.

徊 specifically means pacing back and forth or hesitating, while 彷 (páng) often refers to roaming or wandering aimlessly. 彸 (zhōng) is a rare character meaning "restless walk" and is almost never used today. 徊 is the most common in modern Chinese, especially in the word 徘徊.

徊 appears almost exclusively in the word 徘徊 (pái huái), meaning to pace back and forth or to hesitate. It is used in both literal descriptions (e.g., pacing along a street) and figurative contexts (e.g., hesitating over a decision). It is not a standalone character in everyday speech.

Common words containing 徊 include: 徘徊 (pái huái) — To pace back and forth; to hesitate.; 徘徊不定 (pái huái bù dìng) — To hesitate; to be indecisive.; 徘徊着 (pái huái zhe) — Pacing; lingering..