How to Write 竘 (qǔ) — Meaning “To craft; to make”

Imagine a person standing (立) while using a hooked tool (句) to carefully carve or shape a piece of wood. This visual of "standing with a hook" helps you recall that 竘 means "to craft or make".

Write 立 first (left side), then 句 on the right. For 句, the order is 勹 (wrapping stroke) then 口 inside. Ensure 立 is slightly narrower and its last horizontal line aligns roughly with the middle of 句. A common mistake is confusing 句 with 勾 (which has a dot-like component) — 竘 uses 句 without the extra mark.

竘 has a left-right structure with 立 and 句, meaning "to craft". 亲 (qīn) is top-bottom with 立 above 木, meaning "parent" or "relative". 竖 (shù) is a different shape (立 plus vertical strokes) meaning "vertical". The key visual difference is the right side: 竘 uses 句, while the others do not.

竘 is very rare in modern Chinese and does not appear in the HSK vocabulary. It is mostly found in ancient or classical texts about craftsmanship. Words like 竘工 (craftsmanship) are obscure, so you will likely only encounter 竘 in specialized literary or historical discussions of artisan work.

Common words containing 竘 include: 竘工 (qǔ gōng) — Craftsmanship; artisan work; 竘弄 (qǔ nòng) — To fiddle with; to craft; 竘制 (qǔ zhì) — To manufacture; to craft.