How to Write 挛 (luán) — Meaning “contraction”

Imagine your hand (手) also (亦) contracts into a tight cramp—the two parts visually combine to show the hand also seizing up. Think of the phrase 'hand also locks' to recall luán as a contraction.

Start with the top radical 手 (4 strokes), then write the bottom part 亦 (6 strokes). The 手 should be wide and compact, while the 亦 below has a central hook stroke (乛) that must not cross the top too far. A common mistake is making the 手 too tall, so keep it proportionally smaller than the bottom.

While 承 (chéng) means 'to undertake' and 拳 (quán) means 'fist', 挛 (luán) specifically means 'contraction' or 'spasm'. Visually, 承 has extra strokes in its lower part (like 水), 拳 has the hand radical on top with 䏍 below, but 挛 uses 亦. In usage, 挛 appears in medical terms (e.g., 痉挛), whereas 承 is used in formal contexts ('to receive') and 拳 relates to boxing or fists.

挛 appears almost exclusively in medical or physiological terms, such as 痉挛 (jìng luán, spasm) or 挛缩 (luán suō, contracture). It is not used in everyday conversation; you will mostly see it in health articles or doctor reports. The character carries a serious connotation of involuntary muscle tightening, often associated with pain or medical conditions.

Common words containing 挛 include: 痉挛 (jìng luán) — spasm; cramp; 挛缩 (luán suō) — contracture; 抽挛 (chōu luán) — spasm or convulsion.