How to Write 轳 (lú) — Meaning “Pulley; windlass”

Imagine a car (车) driving around a loop (like the sound 'lú' in 'loop') to pull up a bucket from a well. The shape of 卢 on the right can be seen as a rope wrapped around a pulley. This visual links the character's sound and its function.

Write the left part 车 first: horizontal, horizontal, vertical, then a long horizontal stroke that slants slightly upward. Then add the right part 卢: vertical, horizontal bend, two horizontals, and a final left-falling stroke (like a short tail). A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it narrow so the character stays balanced.

轳 (pulley) has the right side 卢 (a simple box shape with a tail), while 斩 (to cut) has 斤 (an axe shape) on the right. 軎 (ancient axle tip) is extremely rare and has a different right component; visually, its right part looks like a vertical line with two horizontal strokes. Remember: 轳's right side resembles a windlass with a rope.

轳 rarely appears alone; it is mostly found in the word 辘轳 (lù lú), which refers to a windlass or pulley used for drawing water from a well. This image appears in classical poetry and folk tales, symbolizing hard work or rural life. In modern contexts, you might see it in historical descriptions or technical writing about ancient machinery.

Common words containing 轳 include: 辘轳 (lù lú) — Windlass; pulley for a well.; 辘轳体 (lù lú tǐ) — A style of Chinese poetry with repeating lines.; 辘轳剑 (lù lú jiàn) — An ancient long sword..