How to Write 憔 (qiáo) — Meaning “haggard; withered”

Picture a person whose heart (忄) feels like it has been scorched by fire (焦, which contains 火 'fire' at the bottom). This burned-out heart makes them look tired and haggard—just like the feeling of being utterly drained.

Pay attention to the left side: the heart radical 忄 should be written as a vertical column with two dots, not as three separate strokes. The right part 焦 has 12 strokes—make sure the bottom 灬 (four-dot fire) is evenly spaced and not too compressed, as learners often squeeze the dots together.

憔 (qiáo) specifically describes a haggard, worn-out appearance due to worry or illness. 愫 (sù) means 'sincere feelings' or 'true intentions,' while 慊 (qiè or qiàn) means 'satisfied' or 'resentful' depending on tone. Visually, 憔 uses 焦 on the right, 愫 uses 素 (plain/simple), and 慊 uses 兼 (double/combine).

You most often see 憔 in the common word 憔悴 (qiáo cuì), meaning haggard or gaunt, especially after emotional or physical strain. It appears in literary or descriptive contexts, like describing a character in a novel who looks exhausted after hard work or heartbreak—it is not used in casual daily conversation.

Common words containing 憔 include: 憔悴 (qiáo cuì) — haggard; 憔悴不堪 (qiáo cuì bù kān) — utterly haggard; 容颜憔悴 (róng yán qiáo cuì) — To look haggard / Worn out appearance.