How to Write 阕 (què) — Meaning “stanza (of a poem); to end”

Imagine a closed gate (门) blocking the way, with the inner part 癸 looking like two crossed swords (the top) and a person (the bottom). Picture a performance ending as the gate closes after the final stanza, with the swords representing the dramatic finish.

The outer 门 must be wide enough to contain the inner 癸; a common mistake is making the 门 too narrow. Write the left hook of 门 first, then the inner 癸 with balanced strokes—note that 癸 has a top component like two strokes crossing (not a standard 癶). Pay attention to the dot at the bottom-right of 癸.

阕 means stanza or end, while 阃 (kǔn) refers to the inner chambers of a house or a woman's quarters; both use the 门 radical but have different inner components. 阕 has 癸 inside, whereas 阃 has 困 (trapped), giving them completely distinct meanings and pronunciations.

阕 is primarily used in classical or formal contexts, like counting stanzas of poetry or songs (一阕词) and marking the end of a musical piece (终阕). It is rare in daily conversation but appears in literary analysis and traditional music descriptions, reflecting its poetic origin.

Common words containing 阕 include: 一阕 (yī què) — a song; a poem; 终阕 (zhōng què) — The end of a musical piece or poem; 阕下 (què xià) — under the watchtower.