How to Write 颡 (sǎng) — Meaning “Forehead”

Imagine a mulberry tree (桑) growing right out of your forehead (页). Since mulberries are sometimes placed on the head in folk stories, picturing a mulberry on your forehead helps link the sound sǎng to the meaning.

The left part 桑 has three layers: 又 on top, 木 below, and three dots under 木. The right part 页 must be written slightly wider than usual to balance the left side. A common mistake is forgetting the three small dots inside 桑.

颗 (kē, grain/classifier for small round objects) uses the radical 果 (fruit) on the left, while 题 (tí, topic/forehead) uses 是 (is) on the left. Unlike 颡, which always means forehead, 颗 is a measure word and 题 means 'topic' or 'inscription'.

颡 is very rare in everyday speech, appearing mostly in formal or literary expressions like 稽颡 (jī sǎng), a ritual kowtow where the forehead touches the ground. It carries a strong classical or ceremonial feel, often used in historical novels or descriptions of ancient customs.

Common words containing 颡 include: 稽颡 (jī sǎng) — To kowtow (bowing to the ground); 额颡 (é sǎng) — Forehead; 叩颡 (kòu sǎng) — To kowtow (touching forehead to ground).