How to Write 其 (qí) — Meaning “Its; his; her; their (formal)”

Imagine a person holding a sign (the top part like 甘) with both arms stretched out (the bottom 八), proudly declaring 'This is mine!' The shape helps you remember that 其 is used for possession, like 'his' or 'its'.

Write the top horizontal line first, then the vertical stroke inside, next the middle horizontal, and finally the two legs of 八 from left to right. A common mistake is making the bottom 八 too wide or uneven—keep the legs balanced and slightly apart.

其 has a vertical stroke in the top section and two legs (八) at the bottom, while 共 has two horizontal lines at the bottom and no vertical inside. 㒸 (rare) looks like 其 but with a different top—focus on 其's distinct 'smiling face' shape with the 八 legs.

其 is a formal possessive pronoun used in writing and set phrases like 其他 (other), 其次 (next), and 其实 (actually). It appears often in classical Chinese and formal essays, giving a more literary tone compared to informal alternatives like 他的.

Common words containing 其 include: 其他 (qí tā) — Other; others (people or things); 其次 (qí cì) — next; 其实 (qí shí) — Actually; in fact.