How to Write 偶 (ǒu) — Meaning “By chance / Even number / Idol”

Imagine you see a person (亻) wearing a funny mask (禺) and you exclaim "Oh!" (sounds like ǒu) because you met them by chance. This links the sound to the meanings of 'by chance' and 'idol' (a masked persona).

Write the left radical 亻 first (two strokes: slant then vertical). Then write the right part 禺: start with the top square-like section (田 shape but with a vertical stroke through it), then the bottom 内. A common mistake is forgetting the small horizontal stroke inside the top part; also keep the left radical narrow and the right side balanced.

Visually, 偶 has the right component 禺 (a square with a vertical line), while 侮 has 每 (top 人 and bottom 母) and 侯 has 矢 (an arrow shape) after 亻. Meaning-wise, 偶 means chance or idol, 侮 means to insult, and 侯 means marquis or to wait — so remember that 偶 involves a mask (禺) for an idol or chance meeting.

偶 appears in common words like 偶然 (by chance) for unexpected events, 偶像 (idol) for celebrities or role models, and 偶数 (even number) in math. Culturally, 偶像 is heavily used in pop culture to refer to stars, anime characters, or virtual idols, and the term carries a sense of admiration and fandom.

Common words containing 偶 include: 偶然 (ǒu rán) — Accidental / By chance; 偶像 (ǒu xiàng) — Idol; 偶数 (ǒu shù) — Even number.