How to Write 戕 (qiāng) — Meaning “To kill; to injure”

Imagine a wooden plank (爿) being used as a weapon (戈) to strike someone. This visual of a tool turned into a weapon helps you recall that 戕 means to harm or kill.

Write the left part 爿 first with four strokes: vertical fold, vertical, vertical, horizontal. Then write the right part 戈 with four strokes: horizontal, slanting hook, left-falling stroke, dot. Avoid making the slanting hook too curved; it should be sharp like a weapon.

戕 has 爿 on the left and 戈 on the right, while 威 has 戈 on top above a 女 (woman) and 戌 has a different left side (戊) with a dot. Visually, 戕 looks like a bed and a weapon; 威 relates to might, and 戌 is a zodiac character. Their meanings are unrelated.

戕 is rare and used mostly in formal writing, such as in the words 戕害 (to harm) and 自戕 (to commit suicide). It has a strong negative tone and is never used in casual conversation. You might see it in news reports about violence or in classical literature.

Common words containing 戕 include: 戕害 (qiāng hài) — To harm; to injure; 自戕 (zì qiāng) — to commit suicide; to harm oneself; 戕贼 (qiāng zéi) — To harm; to ruin.