How to Write 掮 (qián) — Meaning “to carry on the shoulder”

Picture a hand (扌) placing a heavy bag onto a shoulder (肩). The two parts directly show the action of lifting something onto your shoulder, making it easy to recall.

The left radical 扌 should be written with a straight vertical stroke and a small hook. The right side 肩 starts with 户 (door) then 月 below; keep the two sides balanced in height so the character doesn't look lopsided.

掮 has 肩 (shoulder) on the right, while 拜 (bài) uses two 手 (hand) components side by side, and 括 (kuò) uses 舌 (tongue) on the right. Their meanings are different: 掮 is about carrying, 拜 is about bowing, and 括 is about including.

掮 is rare on its own but appears in the word 掮客 (qián kè), meaning "broker" or "middleman." It describes someone who carries business deals on their shoulders, like an agent facilitating transactions.

Common words containing 掮 include: 掮客 (qián kè) — broker; middleman; agent; 掮着 (qián zhe) — carrying on the shoulder; 掮东西 (qián dōng xī) — to carry things on the shoulder.