How to Write 茹 (rú) — Meaning “to eat / to consume”

Imagine a cow (represented by the mouth 口 and person 女 in 如) happily eating grass (艹) in a field. This combines the plant radical with the eating action, helping you recall 茹 means 'to consume.'

Write the grass radical 艹 first with two strokes (horizontal and vertical), then the left side of 如 (女) with three strokes, and finally the right side (口) with three strokes. A common mistake is making the 艹 too wide or placing it too low; keep it small and centered above 如 for balance.

Unlike 茹 (with 艹 radical), 兹 has a different top part (䒑) and means 'this' or 'now' — it is not related to eating. 芈 has a different shape (a sheep-like top) and is used for a surname or classical sound, not for consumption. Visually, 茹 has 如 clearly under plants, while 兹 and 芈 lack the 如 component.

茹 appears in formal or literary expressions like 茹素 (to be vegetarian) and 含辛茹苦 (to endure hardships). The idiom 茹毛饮血 describes primitive life, but is rarely used in daily conversation. Understanding 茹 helps read classic texts or news about dietary habits, though it is not common in everyday speech.

Common words containing 茹 include: 茹素 (rú sù) — to be a vegetarian; 含辛茹苦 (hán xīn rú kǔ) — to endure hardships, to go through thick and thin; 茹毛饮血 (rú máo yǐn xuè) — to eat hair and drink blood (living a primitive life).