How to Write 骒 (kè) — Meaning “Mare (female horse)”

Imagine a mare (female horse) happily eating a piece of fruit, like an apple or a pear. The right side 果 means 'fruit', so you can think of this horse enjoying a fruity snack. This visual link helps you remember that 骒 means 'mare'.

Write the left radical 马 first with 3 strokes: horizontal turn, vertical hook, then horizontal. Then write the right side 果 with 8 strokes: start with the 田 part (vertical, horizontal turn, then three horizontals), then finish with the 木 part (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling). A common mistake is making the 田 portion too wide—keep it narrow and balanced with the left side.

All three characters use the horse radical 马, but their right sides differ: 骒 has 果 (fruit), 骁 has 尧 (a name), and 骄 has 乔 (tall). Meaning-wise, 骒 specifically means 'mare', a female horse; 骁 means 'brave' or 'fierce horse'; and 骄 means 'proud' or 'arrogant'. Visually, 骒 has the distinct 田 and 木 strokes on the right, while 骁 has 尧 and 骄 has 乔.

骒 is rarely used in everyday conversation; it appears mainly in farming, animal breeding, or historical texts when referring to female horses. The common word 骒马 (kè mǎ) is used to clearly mean 'mare'. Since this character is not in the HSK list, most language learners will not encounter it often, but it shows how Chinese uses specific characters for animal genders.

Common words containing 骒 include: 骒马 (kè mǎ) — Mare; 骒骡 (kè luó) — Female mule; 母骒 (mǔ kè) — Broodmare / Female horse.