How to Write 痉 (jìng) — Meaning “spasm; convulsion”

Imagine a person whose body is twisted and tense because of an illness (疒). The inner part 巠 looks like a tight, wavy line, reminding you of the uncontrollable muscle contractions of a spasm.

Start with the radical 疒: write the dot first, then the horizontal stroke with a left-falling tail, and finally the two inner dots. The inner part 巠 should be centered and narrow; do not let its horizontal strokes extend beyond the radical's coverage.

While 痉 (spasm) shares the sickness radical, 疙 (bump) has the component 乞 underneath and means a lump or pimple on skin. 疚 (guilt) contains the radical 疒 plus 久, but its meaning is a chronic illness or deep regret, not a physical spasm.

痉 appears mainly in medical contexts like 痉挛 (jìngluán, spasm) and 抽痉 (chōujìng, cramp). It is also used in 痉笑 (jìngxiào) to describe a sardonic grin caused by muscle tension, often linked to tetanus or neurological conditions.

Common words containing 痉 include: 痉挛 (jìng luán) — spasm; cramp; 抽痉 (chōu jìng) — spasm; cramp; 痉笑 (jìng xiào) — sardonic grin.