How to Write 尞 (liào) — Meaning “To burn; fuel for sacrifice”

Picture the top part 小 as three small sticks of wood, and the bottom part as a fire altar with flames. Imagine lighting those sticks on fire for a ritual, linking the shape to the meaning 'to burn for sacrifice'.

Be careful with the top radical 小: write it with a short vertical stroke in the center, not a hook. The lower part has a horizontal stroke longer than the top, and the two dots below must align vertically under the center—a common mistake is making them too wide.

The word 尞祭 (liào jì) refers to an ancient sacrifice involving burning wood, now mostly historical. The surname 姓尞 (xìng Liào) is rare but used in modern China for some families.

尞 is not common in daily conversation; it appears mainly in classical texts about ancient rituals or as a surname. Culturally, it reflects early Chinese practices of burning offerings to communicate with spirits, but today you will rarely encounter it outside of historical or literary contexts.

Common words containing 尞 include: 尞 (liào) — To burn; fuel for sacrifice; 尞祭 (liào jì) — A sacrifice involving burning wood; 姓尞 (xìng liào) — Surname Liao.