How to Write 殴 (ōu) — Meaning “to beat; to hit; to brawl”

Picture a person trapped in a confined area (区) while another person hits them with a weapon (殳). The left side looks like a box, and the right side resembles a hand with a stick, helping you recall the violent action.

The left part 区 must be written with an outer box and an inner 乂 — do not confuse it with 凶 or other shapes. The right radical 殳 has a curved top stroke ending in a hook, which is easy to miss; beginners often write it as a straight line, but the hook is essential.

Although all three share the radical 殳, 殴 (beat) has the left component 区, while 段 (section) has a left side resembling two horizontal lines, and 殷 (dark red or abundant) has a left side like 㐆. Only 殴 is used for hitting — 段 and 殷 have completely different meanings.

殴 appears in formal or legal contexts, such as news reports about violence or police records — for example, 殴打 (ōudǎ, to assault) or 斗殴 (dòuōu, brawl). In daily speech, people usually use the simpler word 打 (dǎ) instead, as 殴 sounds more serious and official.

Common words containing 殴 include: 殴打 (ōu dǎ) — to beat up; to assault; 斗殴 (dòu ōu) — Brawl; Scuffle; Fight; 殴伤 (ōu shāng) — to injure by beating.