How to Write 喾 (kù) — Meaning “Emperor Ku (mythical)”

Imagine the top part 凵 as a crown or a royal hat, and the bottom part 口 as the emperor's mouth speaking orders. The whole shape looks like a ruler with a crown, which matches the meaning of Emperor Ku. This visual connection helps recall the character's form and its association with a legendary king.

Start by writing the top container shape: first the left vertical stroke, then the bottom horizontal, and finally the right vertical. Then add the inner strokes (a short left-falling and a dot), and finish with the bottom 口 in the usual box order. A common mistake is to make the top part too narrow or to forget the small dot inside the container.

喾 has a container-like top (凵) with a dot inside, while 㕡 appears very similar but is an extremely rare variant used in ancient texts. In contrast, 哥 (gē) is much more common and means 'elder brother'; it is formed by stacking two 可 characters, with no container shape. Visually, 喾 looks like a box with a mouth below, whereas 哥 has two symmetrical parts.

喾 is almost exclusively used in historical and cultural contexts, especially in the name 帝喾 (Dì Kù), a legendary emperor of ancient China. You may also see it in place names like 喾陵 (his tomb) or 喾庙 (his temple). It is not part of everyday vocabulary, so learning it is mainly for understanding classical Chinese history and mythology.

Common words containing 喾 include: 帝喾 (dì kù) — Emperor Ku (a legendary Chinese ruler).; 喾庙 (kù miào) — Temple of Emperor Ku; 喾陵 (kù líng) — Tomb of Emperor Ku.