How to Write 弃 (qì) — Meaning “to abandon; to discard”

Imagine you have a private (厶) item hidden under a lid (亠), and you use both hands (廾) to throw it away. This action of tossing it aside helps you remember that 弃 means 'to abandon' or 'to discard'.

Write 弃 with 7 strokes: start with the top dot (亠), then the middle part 厶 (撇折,点), and finish with 廾 (横,撇,竖). A common mistake is making the bottom 廾 too wide or not aligning it properly under the top section; keep the two hands balanced and compact.

弃 has an extra top stroke (亠) compared to 弁, which is just 厶 + 廾 and means 'cap' or 'to argue'. 异 has a different top part (巳 instead of 亠+厶) and means 'different' or 'strange'. Their meanings and visual shapes are distinct.

弃 is used in formal and written Chinese, common in words like 放弃 (to give up), 丢弃 (to discard), and 弃权 (to abstain from voting). It often has a negative connotation of giving up something important, and appears in idioms like 弃暗投明 (to abandon darkness for light), meaning to choose a better path.

Common words containing 弃 include: 放弃 (fàng qì) — to give up; to abandon; 丢弃 (diū qì) — to abandon; to discard; 弃权 (qì quán) — to abstain from voting; to waive a right.