How to Write 觅 (mì) — Meaning “To seek; to look for”

Imagine a bird using its claw (爫) to scratch the ground while keeping its eyes (见) open for food. This picture of 'claw + see' helps you recall that 觅 means 'to seek' or 'to forage'.

Write the top part 爫 first (three strokes: dot, dot, downward sweep), then the bottom part 见 (five strokes). A common mistake is making the top too wide or the bottom too narrow — keep both balanced horizontally so the character looks like one unit.

觅 has the claw 爫 on top, while 观 has 又 (hand) on top and means 'to view', and 规 has 夫 (man) on top and means 'rule' or 'compass'. Remember: 觅 is about actively seeking, 观 is about watching, and 规 is about measuring or setting standards.

觅 appears in literary or formal expressions like 寻觅 (to seek) and 觅食 (to forage for food). It is less common in everyday conversation but often used in poetry, nature writing, or classical idioms to describe a careful search, such as birds finding food.

Common words containing 觅 include: 寻觅 (xún mì) — To seek; to look for.; 觅食 (mì shí) — To forage; to look for food; 觅得 (mì dé) — To find; to obtain.