How to Write 克 (kè) — Meaning “gram, to overcome, to restrain”

Imagine a person (儿) with strong legs stepping over an ancient (古) wall to overcome it. This visual of 'overcoming the ancient' helps you recall that 克 means 'to overcome'. You can also think of the sound 'kè' like 'kay' and say 'Okay, I can overcome!'

Start with the top horizontal line, then the vertical line to form 十. Next write the 口 with three strokes (vertical, horizontal bend, horizontal), keeping it narrow and centered. Finally add 儿 with a left-falling stroke and a vertical curved hook; make sure the hook is not too wide.

克 has a 十 (cross) at the top, then 口, then 儿, while 兄 has only 口 on top and 儿 below (no cross). 充 has a dot (亠) at the top, then a triangular shape (允) and then 儿, so it looks more complex. Remember: 克 is about overcoming, 兄 means elder brother, and 充 means to fill.

克 is used as a verb meaning 'to overcome' in words like 克服 (kèfú, to conquer) and as a measure word for grams, e.g., 200克 (200 grams). A fun cultural note is that 巧克力 (qiǎokèlì, chocolate) is a loanword that uses 克 to represent the sound 'ke'.

Common words containing 克 include: 克 (kè) — gram, to overcome, to restrain; 克服 (kè fú) — to overcome, to conquer; 巧克力 (qiǎo kè lì) — chocolate.