How to Write 侉 (kuǎ) — Meaning “having a non-local accent; boorish”

Picture a person (亻) who talks in a loud, strange accent, and other people think they are '夸' (boasting) about where they are from. This image helps you link the meaning of a non-local accent to the sound and shape of 侉.

Write the left radical 亻 first (two strokes: left-falling and vertical), then the right part 夸. In 夸, the top 大 is wide and the bottom 亏 is narrower; a common mistake is making the bottom too wide, which ruins the balance. Also be careful with the bottom hook stroke (竖折折钩) in 亏—it should curve inward.

侉 has the right part 夸 (boast), while 仰 has 卬 (look up) and 仲 has 中 (middle). Their meanings are very different: 侉 means a strong non-local accent or a boorish person, 仰 means to look up or admire, and 仲 means middle or second. Visually, the right sides are distinct: 夸 has a big top with a hook below, 卬 looks like a kneeling person, and 中 is a square with a vertical line.

侉 is mostly used in northern Chinese dialects, especially in Beijing, to describe someone with a heavy non-local accent, often from the south or countryside. It can appear in words like 侉子 or 侉腔, but it is considered informal and slightly rude, similar to calling someone a 'country bumpkin'. You might hear it in older stories or regional speech, but not in polite standard Mandarin.

Common words containing 侉 include: 侉子 (kuǎ zi) — person with a strong non-local accent; boor; 侉腔 (kuǎ qiāng) — non-local accent; 侉话 (kuǎ huà) — non-local dialect or speech.