How to Write 佘 (shé) — Meaning “She (a surname)”

Imagine a person (人) showing (示) their family name badge that says "She" (佘 sounds like "shay"). Alternatively, picture a person at a table (示 looks like a table with legs) saying "My surname is She." This visual helps link the sound and shape.

Write 佘 by first writing the top component 人 (stroke order: left-falling then right-falling). Then write the bottom part 示: two horizontal strokes, a vertical hook, then a left-falling stroke, and finally a dot. A common mistake is forgetting the hook on the vertical stroke or misplacing the dot and left-falling stroke—they should be balanced on each side of the hook.

佘 has 示 (two horizontals and a small shape) at the bottom, while 仝 has 工 (work) and 令 has 卩 (seal). Meaning-wise, 佘 is only a surname, 仝 can mean "same" or also be a surname, and 令 means "order" or "command." Visually, look at the bottom part to tell them apart.

佘 is exclusively a Chinese surname, not very common but still in use. It appears in place names like 佘山 (Sheshan), a famous scenic hill in Shanghai. Culturally, 佘太君 (She Taijun) is a legendary female general in Chinese opera, known for her bravery and leadership.

Common words containing 佘 include: 姓佘 (xìng shé) — surnamed She; 佘山 (shé shān) — Sheshan (a famous hill in Shanghai); 佘太君 (shé tài jūn) — She Taijun (a legendary female general).