How to Write 濊 (huì) — Meaning “Hui (ancient ethnic group name)”

Imagine the Hui people gathering by a river (氵) every year (歲) for a festival. The right side 歲 looks like a person walking (止) with a weapon (戌) through the years, reminding you that this is an ancient group with a long history.

The right side 歲 has many strokes and is easy to confuse — make sure the top part 止 has a clear vertical line and the bottom 戌 does not touch the left radical. The overall shape is wide, so keep the left water radical narrow and the right side balanced, taking up about two-thirds of the character space.

濊, 滕, and 滴 all share the water radical 氵, but their right sides differ: 濊 uses 歲 (year), 滕 uses a combination of 月 and 朕-like elements (meaning 'to rise'), and 滴 uses 啇 (meaning 'drip'). Only 濊 refers to an ancient ethnic group; 滕 is a place name or verb, and 滴 is a common word for 'drip' or 'drop'.

濊 is extremely rare in modern Chinese and appears only in historical or archaeological texts, such as the term 濊貊 (Huìmò) for an ancient ethnic confederation. You will not encounter it in daily conversation or HSK exams, but it may appear when studying ancient Chinese history or classical literature.

Common words containing 濊 include: 濊貊 (huì mò) — Huimo (ancient ethnic group); 濊濊 (huì huì) — Sound of fishing nets; vast; 汪濊 (wāng huì) — Vast and deep.