How to Write 舌 (shé) — Meaning “tongue”

Imagine a thousand (千) tiny tongues moving inside a big mouth (口). This visual of a mouth full of tongues helps link the components to the meaning "tongue." The mnemonic "a thousand mouths speak with one tongue" can also reinforce the shape.

Write the top part first: a left-falling stroke, then two horizontal strokes (the first shorter), and a vertical stroke through them. Then add the bottom square "口" (mouth). A common mistake is making the top too wide or the mouth too large—keep the top balanced and the mouth compact below it.

The key difference is the bottom part: 舌 has a mouth (口) underneath, while 舍 has a roof-like component (亻 or 介) plus a mouth. 舌 means "tongue" and relates to the mouth, whereas 舍 means "to give up" or "house." Visually, 舌 is simpler with only a top cross and mouth, while 舍 has an extra structure above the mouth.

舌 appears in words like 舌头 (tongue) for the body part, 舌尖 (tip of the tongue), and 口舌 (quarrel, literally "mouth tongue"). Culturally, phrases like "唇枪舌剑" (lips like spears, tongue like swords) describe a fierce verbal debate, highlighting the tongue's role in speech and conflict.

Common words containing 舌 include: 舌头 (shé tou) — tongue; 舌尖 (shé jiān) — Tip of the tongue; 口舌 (kǒu shé) — quarrel or dispute.