How to Write 寇 (kòu) — Meaning “bandit; invader”

Imagine a thief sneaking into a house (宀) to steal a "yuan" (元, money) and getting hit (攴) by the owner. Visualize "house + money + hit = bandit" to link the shape to the meaning.

Write the radical 宀 first (three strokes), then the lower left part 元 (four strokes: horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, right-falling), and finally 攴 (four strokes: vertical, horizontal hook, left-falling, right-dot). A common mistake is making the lower right part (攴) too wide; keep it compact and aligned under the roof.

寇 has 攴 (a hand striking) at the bottom right, while 客 has 各 (each) below the roof, and 宣 has 亘 (a horizontal line). The extra "strike" component (攴) is the key visual clue—寇 means "invader" (who attacks), unlike a guest (客) or declaration (宣).

寇 appears in historical terms like 倭寇 (wō kòu, Japanese pirates) and 敌寇 (dí kòu, enemy invaders). It is rarely used alone today but carries a strong negative connotation of foreign enemies or bandits, often in wartime or historical narratives.

Common words containing 寇 include: 倭寇 (wō kòu) — Japanese pirates (historical); 敌寇 (dí kòu) — Enemy invaders; 贼寇 (zéi kòu) — Bandits; invaders.