How to Write 榷 (què) — Meaning “Monopoly or footbridge”

Imagine a wooden bridge (木) that is so high and narrow that only traders can cross it—this bridge is a "monopoly" on crossing. The right side 隺 can be thought of as a bird (隹) flying over a roof (冖), suggesting something exclusive or controlled.

Write the left radical 木 first (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling), then the right part 隺: start with the top dot, then the roof-like 冖, then the bird 隹 from top to bottom. A common mistake is making the right side too wide—keep the 隹 narrow and balanced with the left wood radical.

棉 uses the wood radical with a phonetic 帛 (silk/cloth), meaning cotton, so it has a softer look with more horizontal strokes. 棋 uses 木 with 其 (table) and means chess; its right side has two horizontal lines inside a box. In contrast, 榷 has a tall right side with a roof and bird shape (隺).

榷 is rarely used alone; it appears mostly in the formal word 商榷 (to discuss/deliberate), often in academic or legal contexts. Historically, it referred to government monopolies on goods like salt and tea, a practice important in ancient Chinese economics. Today you might see 榷 in historical or formal writing.

Common words containing 榷 include: 商榷 (shāng què) — To discuss; to deliberate.; 榷场 (què chǎng) — Border trade market; 榷税 (què shuì) — Monopoly tax.