How to Write 麂 (jǐ) — Meaning “Muntjac (a type of small deer)”

Imagine a small deer (鹿) standing on a tiny stool (几) to reach some leaves. The stool reminds you that this deer is short, which matches the muntjac's small size, and the pronunciation "jǐ" sounds like "gee" as in "gee, that deer is short!"

Write the top part 鹿 first, making sure the three dots on the left (鹿's "antler" strokes) are clear. Then add the bottom 几, which should be slightly narrower than the top and keep its horizontal stroke straight — a common mistake is making 几 too wide or slanting it.

鹿 (lù) means "deer" in general and is very common, while 麂 (jǐ) is only for the small muntjac deer. 麃 (biāo) is a rare character for a different type of deer; visually, 麃 has a fire-like bottom (灬) instead of 几, so look for the extra dots.

You will mostly see 麂 in nature or wildlife contexts, like 麂子 (the animal) or 麂皮 (a soft leather used for gloves and polishing). The 黑麂 (black muntjac) is a rare protected species in China, so the character sometimes appears in conservation news.

Common words containing 麂 include: 麂子 (jǐ zi) — Muntjac; 麂皮 (jǐ pí) — Chamois or muntjac leather; 黑麂 (hēi jǐ) — Black muntjac.