How to Write 楫 (jí) — Meaning “oar; paddle”

Imagine a wooden oar (木) by a river, and the right side 咠 looks like a person bending forward to row with urgency. Say 'Jí!' as you paddle quickly, linking the sound to the action.

Write the left radical 木 narrow and tall, then the right part 咠 with a small 口 on top and a wider 耳 below. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep both sides balanced. The total stroke count is 13, and follow standard stroke order: first 木, then 口, then 耳.

桫 (suō) refers to a type of tree (tree fern) and has 沙 on the right, while 桲 (bó) is a surname or a fruit tree with 孛 on the right. In contrast, 楫 always means 'oar' and uses 咠 as its phonetic. Visually, 楫's right side has 口 above 耳, whereas the others have different components.

楫 is a classical or literary character, rarely used in daily conversation but common in idioms and historical texts. For example, '舟楫' appears in classical poetry to mean boats and oars, symbolizing travel or life's journey. In modern Chinese, people usually say 桨 (jiǎng) for 'oar', but 楫 is still found in formal writing or traditional names.

Common words containing 楫 include: 舟楫 (zhōu jí) — boats and oars / watercraft; 划楫 (huà jí) — to row an oar; 楫子 (jí zi) — oar.