How to Write 劭 (shào) — Meaning “Exhort; encourage; fine”

Imagine someone shouting 'Rise up!' (召) while flexing their muscle (力) to encourage you. This visual of a person calling out with strength helps you recall that 劭 means 'to exhort' or 'encourage'. You can also think of "show strength" as a pun on the pronunciation "shào".

Write the top part 召 first: start with the hook-like stroke, then two horizontal strokes, and a vertical stroke from the top to bottom. Then add the bottom part 力, which is a left-falling stroke followed by a horizontal hook. A common mistake is making the top part too wide or forgetting the small hook in 力; keep the top narrow and the bottom balanced directly under it.

劭 (shào) means to encourage or fine, while 功 (gōng) means merit or achievement, and 加 (jiā) means to add or increase. Visually, 劭 has 召 on top and 力 below, whereas 功 has 工 (work) on the left and 力 on the right, and 加 has 力 on the left and 口 (mouth) on the right. In usage, 劭 is more literary and rarely used alone, while 功 and 加 are common in everyday vocabulary.

劭 is not common in daily speech but appears in formal or literary expressions like 劭勉 (to encourage) and 德劭 (high moral character). It is often used in written praise or historical texts, such as describing a respected elder with "年高德劭" (aged and virtuous). Learners may encounter it in classical literature or formal congratulations, but it is not needed for basic communication.

Common words containing 劭 include: 劭勉 (shào miǎn) — Encourage; exhort; 德劭 (dé shào) — of high moral character and prestige; 劭农 (shào nóng) — Encourage farming.