How to Write 魄 (pò) — Meaning “Soul”

Imagine a white ghost (白 + 鬼) that shows great courage — this helps you connect the character to the word 魄力 (courage). The white color reminds you of purity, and the ghost suggests the spiritual nature of the soul.

The left radical 鬼 has 9 strokes: start with the top left-falling stroke, then write the vertical, two horizontals, another left-falling, a hook, a horizontal, then a left-falling, and finally a small dot inside the hook shape. The right part 白 has 5 strokes, beginning with a left-falling stroke (not a horizontal), and both sides should be balanced in width.

魄 has 白 (white) on the right, 魁 has 斗 (a ladle or measure) on the right, and 魂 has 云 (cloud) on the right. Their meanings also differ: 魄 relates to courage and the physical soul, 魂 is the ethereal soul that leaves the body, and 魁 means a leader or chief.

魄 appears in common words like 魄力 (courage or boldness) and 气魄 (spirit or grandness). In traditional Chinese culture, 魄 refers to the yin soul connected to the body, while 魂 is the yang soul that wanders after death, but today 魄 is mostly used in phrases describing someone's strong character.

Common words containing 魄 include: 魄力 (pò lì) — Courage; 气魄 (qì pò) — Spirit / Boldness / Grandeur; 魂魄 (hún pò) — Soul.