How to Write 屈 (qū) — Meaning “to bend; to yield; injustice”

Imagine a person (尸) who has to "go out" (出) of a room backwards because they feel wronged and must yield to others. This picture helps connect the body bending as they back out, reminding you of 屈 meaning to bend or yield.

Stroke order: start with the top radical 尸 (horizontal, then left-falling stroke, then horizontal), then write 出 (vertical, horizontal, vertical, vertical up-down, and final horizontal). A common mistake is making the lower part too wide; keep 出 narrow and centered under 尸 so the character stays balanced.

屈 has the radical 尸 with 出 below, meaning bend or yield, while 尽 (jǐn) means to use up or try one's best and has 尺 (a ruler) at the bottom. 尾 (wěi) means tail and also uses 尸 but with 毛 (hair) underneath, so remember: 屈 is about bending out, 尾 is body with hair, and 尽 is body with a ruler.

屈 appears in common words like 委屈 (to feel wronged) and 屈服 (to surrender). It is also used in the idiom 屈指可数 (can be counted on one's fingers), meaning very few. Culturally, the idea of "bending" in 屈 often carries a sense of enduring hardship or submitting reluctantly, reflecting values of patience and humility in Chinese culture.

Common words containing 屈 include: 委屈 (wěi qū) — To feel wronged; grievance; 屈服 (qū fú) — to surrender; to yield; 屈指可数 (qū zhǐ kě shǔ) — can be counted on one's fingers; very few.