How to Write 欧 (ōu) — Meaning “Europe”

Imagine that in Europe (欧), you have to owe (欠) money to enter a special area (区). Another trick is to think of the left side 区 as a map of Europe and the right side 欠 as a person bowing politely, a common European gesture.

Pay attention to stroke order: the left part 区 is written first (横, 竖, 撇, 竖折), then the right part 欠 (撇, 横折, 撇, 捺). A common mistake is making the left side too wide or the right side’s last stroke (捺) too short. Keep the two parts balanced, with the left slightly narrower.

The left side is key: 欧 has 区 (with a box shape inside), 次 has 冫 (two dots like ice), and 欢 has 又 (a hand-like shape). For example, 次 means 'order' or 'next' (as in 下次, next time), while 欢 means 'happy' (as in 喜欢, to like). Their pronunciations also differ: ōu vs. cì vs. huān.

欧 appears in words about Europe, such as 欧洲 (Ōuzhōu, Europe), 欧元 (Ōuyuán, the Euro currency), and 欧式 (Ōushì, European style). You might see it in travel guides, news articles about European countries, or when discussing European architecture or design. Although not in HSK, it is very useful for learners interested in geography and global culture.

Common words containing 欧 include: 欧洲 (ōu zhōu) — Europe; 欧元 (ōu yuán) — Euro; 欧式 (ōu shì) — European style.