How to Write 匊 (jū) — Meaning “to scoop up with both hands”

Imagine you are using both hands to scoop up a handful of rice (米) and wrapping your fingers around it like the top component 勹. The shape of 匊 looks like two hands cupping something. This visual of cupping rice can help you recall both the form and meaning.

Start with the top 勹: write the left downward stroke, then the horizontal hook, then the inner stroke (dot in 勹). Then write 米 below: first the two dots, then the horizontal, then vertical, and finally left and right strokes. A common mistake is making the top 勹 too wide or forgetting the inner dot—keep the top compact so the 米 fits neatly underneath.

匊 has 米 (rice) inside the 勹 wrapper, while 匈 has 凶 (ominous) inside and means 'chest'. 匋 has 缶 (pottery) inside and means 'pottery'. Visually, 匊 is narrower and the inner component has a vertical line and dots, unlike the other two. Their meanings are completely different, so focus on the inner part to tell them apart.

匊 is very rare in modern Chinese and not part of the HSK vocabulary. It appears mainly in classical or literary texts to describe scooping water or grain with both hands, like 匊水 (jū shuǐ). It might be encountered in poetry or historical descriptions, but in daily life, the simpler verb 捧 (pěng) is used instead.

Common words containing 匊 include: 匊水 (jū shuǐ) — to scoop up water with both hands; 匊起 (jū qǐ) — to scoop up; 匊捧 (jū pěng) — to hold in both hands.