How to Write 绺 (liǔ) — Meaning “lock; tuft (of hair)”

Imagine a silk thread (纟) tying together a small bunch of hair, like a ponytail. The right part 畄 looks like a pair of scissors and a comb, helping you picture cutting or styling a lock of hair. So 绺 = silk + styled hair = a tuft.

Start with the left radical 纟: write it as three strokes (hooking left, short horizontal, then vertical-hook). Then write the right part 畄: pay attention to the top 丶 (dot) and the bottom field-like shape 田, but note the middle vertical stroke goes through. A common mistake is making the right part too wide; keep it narrow so the whole character stays balanced.

绺 (liǔ) specifically means a lock or tuft of hair or silk strands, while 绑 (bǎng) means to tie or bind something tightly with rope. 绒 (róng) means soft, fluffy material like velvet or fluff. Visually, 绺 has the right side 畄, 绑 has 邦, and 绒 has 戎 — pay attention to these different components.

绺 is most commonly used in the word 一绺 (yī liǔ) meaning "a lock of hair" or "a tuft." You might hear it when describing hair, silk threads, or thin bundles of fiber. It appears in literature or everyday speech rather than formal writing, and it often carries a gentle, detailed feeling when talking about someone's hair.

Common words containing 绺 include: 一绺 (yī liǔ) — a lock of hair; a tuft; 几绺 (jǐ liǔ) — a few locks (of hair); 丝绺 (sī liǔ) — Strands of silk.