How to Write 敉 (mǐ) — Meaning “To pacify; to quell”

Imagine a bowl of rice (米) being offered to stop a fight — the hand with a stick (攵) gently pushes the bowl forward to settle the conflict. This peaceful offering of food helps recall the meaning "to pacify."

The left part 米 must be written narrower and slightly taller, with the horizontal strokes evenly spaced. The right radical 攵 has a short first stroke and a longer second stroke that crosses the third stroke — be careful not to make the right side too wide or the two parts unbalanced.

放 (fàng) means "to release" or "to set free," while 政 (zhèng) means "politics" or "government." Though all share the radical 攵, 敉 uniquely contains 米 (rice) and specifically means to pacify or suppress, focusing on quelling unrest rather than governing or releasing.

敉 is a formal, literary character rarely used in daily conversation, appearing mainly in written expressions like 敉平 (to suppress a rebellion) or 敉安 (to pacify and stabilize a region). It carries a classical, authoritative tone and is often found in historical or political texts describing the restoration of order.

Common words containing 敉 include: 敉平 (mǐ píng) — To put down; to suppress; 敉安 (mǐ ān) — To pacify and stabilize; 敉宁 (mǐ níng) — To pacify and bring peace.