How to Write 律 (lǜ) — Meaning “Law / rule / rhythm”

Imagine a person (彳) holding a brush (聿) and painting a list of rules on a wall. This picture reminds you that 律 is about creating or following written laws.

Write the left radical 彳 first with two quick strokes, then the right part 聿: start with the top horizontal stroke, then the three vertical strokes from left to right, and finally the bottom horizontal. A common mistake is making the right side too tall; keep the overall shape balanced and the left side narrower.

The right side is the key difference: 律 uses 聿 (brush), while 彷 uses 方 (direction/place) and 彸 uses 中 (middle). In meaning, 彷 means 'to hesitate' or 'resemble', 彸 is a rare character meaning 'uneasy', but 律 is about laws, rules, or rhythm.

律 is very common in legal words like 法律 (law) and 律师 (lawyer), and also appears in 纪律 (discipline) and musical terms like 节奏 (rhythm). In Chinese culture, a 律师 is a respected professional who helps people follow the law.

Common words containing 律 include: 法律 (fǎ lǜ) — Law; 律师 (lǜ shī) — Lawyer; 纪律 (jì lǜ) — Discipline.