How to Write 虑 (lǜ) — Meaning “To consider; to worry.”

Imagine a tiger (虍) sitting directly on your heart (心) — this uncomfortable feeling makes you both worry and think carefully. The visual of a heavy tiger on your heart helps link the shape to the meaning of concern and consideration.

Write the tiger radical 虍 first, making sure the top part is wide enough to cover the heart below. A common mistake is to make the heart 心 too large, so keep it small and centered under the tiger's left-falling stroke. Also be careful not to connect the two parts unintentionally.

The key is the bottom component: 虑 has 心 (heart) — think of worry or consideration; 虏 has 力 (strength) — meaning to capture; and 虐 has 匕 (dagger) — meaning cruel. So remember: heart = worry, strength = capture, dagger = cruelty.

You will often find 虑 in words like 考虑 (to consider, think over) and 忧虑 (worry, anxiety). It is used in both formal writing and daily conversation whenever someone is carefully thinking about a decision or feeling anxious about something.

Common words containing 虑 include: 考虑 (kǎo lǜ) — To consider or think over.; 忧虑 (yōu lǜ) — Worry; anxiety; 顾虑 (gù lǜ) — Misgiving / Concern.