How to Write 毽 (jiàn) — Meaning “shuttlecock”

Imagine you need to build (建) a shuttlecock by attaching fluffy feathers (毛) to its base. Each time you see 毽, think of your foot (like in 踢, 'kick') hitting the feathery object. You could also remember that jiàn sounds like 'jump' — you jump to kick the shuttlecock.

Start by writing the left radical 毛 in four strokes (a horizontal sweep, then three horizontal strokes with a final hook). Then write the right side 建 in eight strokes: first the 廴 (moving radical) with a left-down stroke, then the top 聿 (a series of horizontal strokes ending with a vertical). A common mistake is misordering the strokes in 建, especially confusing the bottom 廴 with 乛, so be careful to write the smooth 廴 curve last.

毽 has the radical 毛 plus the right component 建 (jiàn). In contrast, 毪 also uses 毛 but adds 牟 (móu) on the right; it is a very rare character meaning a type of woolen cloth. 毫 (háo) has 毛 on top and 亳 (bó) below, and it means 'a tiny bit' or 'fine hair.' Visual cues: 毽's right side is complex (建), 毪's right looks like a cow's head (牟), and 毫's lower part is 亳 with a distinct horizontal line across the top.

毽 appears mainly in the words 毽子 (jiàn zi, shuttlecock) and 踢毽 (tī jiàn, to play shuttlecock). It is part of a traditional Chinese folk game where players use their feet, knees, and other body parts to keep the shuttlecock in the air. The game is especially popular in parks and schoolyards, and it is often played in groups as a fun, low-impact exercise.

Common words containing 毽 include: 毽子 (jiàn zi) — shuttlecock; 踢毽 (tī jiàn) — to play shuttlecock; 羽毽 (yǔ jiàn) — feathered shuttlecock.