How to Write 崛 (jué) — Meaning “to rise; to tower”

Picture a mountain (山) that rises so high it forces the clouds to bend (屈) around its peak. This image of a mountain bending the sky helps you recall that 崛 means to rise or tower. The "bending" part also matches the sound jué.

Write the left radical 山 first (3 strokes), then the right side 屈 (8 strokes). The most common mistake is miswriting 屈: it starts with 尸 (corpse) and then 出 (exit) — be sure 出 has two vertical lines, not three. Keep the 山 small and the right part slightly wider for balance.

崛 means to rise or emerge, and is used in words like 崛起 (rise of a nation). 峇 (bā) is a rare character, often only found in place names, and has no common meaning. 峋 (xún) appears in the compound 嶙峋 (lín xún) which describes rugged, jagged mountains — it does not carry the idea of rising abruptly.

崛 is most common in the word 崛起 (jué qǐ), which means a sudden rise or emergence, especially of a country, economy, or group — for example, 中国的崛起 (China's rise). It can also describe buildings towering, as in 崛立 (jué lì). In cultural contexts, 崛起 carries a strong sense of power and progress.

Common words containing 崛 include: 崛起 (jué qǐ) — to rise abruptly; to emerge; 崛立 (jué lì) — to stand tall; to tower; 突崛 (tū jué) — Towering or high and steep..