How to Write 肋 (lē/lèi) — Meaning “rib / side of the body”

Picture a rib (肋) as a piece of flesh (月) that is strong (力) enough to protect your lungs and heart. Visualize the left side as meat and the right side as a muscle, together forming your ribcage.

Write the left radical 月 first with 4 strokes, keeping it narrow so there is room for the right side. The right part 力 has 2 strokes and should be placed slightly lower than the middle of 月, not too high or too wide.

月 (moon/month) is a standalone character with only the left radical shape, while 肋 has the additional 力 on the right. 有 (to have/exist) replaces 力 with a slightly different shape (a horizontal stroke and a 月 below), so remember that 肋 always means rib, not possession.

肋 appears in anatomical terms like 肋骨 (lēi gǔ, rib bone) and 肋部 (lēi bù, side of the chest). Culturally, the word 软肋 (ruǎn lēi) means "soft rib" but is used as a metaphor for a person's weakness or Achilles' heel, common in daily conversation.

Common words containing 肋 include: 肋骨 (lèi gǔ) — rib bone; 肋部 (lē bù) — rib area / side of the chest; 软肋 (ruǎn lèi) — Soft spot or Achilles' heel.