How to Write 咀 (jǔ) — Meaning “to chew; to suck”

Think of a mouth (口) chewing on a piece of meat shaped like 且 — the three horizontal lines in 且 can be seen as layers of food or teeth. This image helps you link the mouth radical to the action of chewing, which is the core meaning of 咀.

When writing 咀, first draw the mouth radical 口 on the left as a small square (3 strokes), then add 且 on the right. Pay attention to the spacing: the mouth should be narrow and positioned slightly higher, while 且 has five strokes with multiple horizontal lines — keep them evenly spaced and not too long. A common mistake is making the mouth too big or the 且 part too wide.

The main difference is the right component: 咀 has 且, 吁 has 于, and 吂 has 亡. Their meanings also differ — 咀 is about chewing, 吁 (xū/yù) means to sigh or appeal, and 吂 (máng) means deaf or mute. Visually, 且 contains several horizontal lines, while 于 has a hook shape and 亡 has a bent stroke at the bottom.

咀 is not a very common standalone character, but it appears in the word 咀嚼 (jǔ jué), which means both "to chew" food and "to mull over" an idea. It is also used in anatomical terms like 咀嚼肌 (masseter muscle). In daily life, you might see it in phrases such as 细细咀嚼, meaning to chew slowly and carefully.

Common words containing 咀 include: 咀嚼 (jǔ jué) — to chew; to mull over; 咀嚼肌 (jǔ jué jī) — masseter muscle; chewing muscle; 细细咀嚼 (xì xì jǔ jué) — chew slowly and carefully.