How to Write 射 (shè) — Meaning “To shoot; to fire; to eject”

Imagine a person (身) bending their body like an archer while aiming with their hand (寸) to shoot an arrow. The left part 身 looks like a curved body, and the right part 寸 is like a hand pulling the bowstring. This visual link helps recall both the shape and the meaning.

Write the left component 身 first as a tall, narrow shape with a long vertical stroke; keep it slim. The right component 寸 starts with a horizontal stroke, then a hook, and a final dot placed low. Common mistakes include making 身 too wide or forgetting the hook in 寸.

射 has 身 (body) on the left, while 封 has 土 (earth) instead of 身, and means 'to seal' or 'envelope.' 㝵 is a rare character often used as a variant of 射 but is not standard; visually, 射 always has the clear 'body' shape on the left. Remember: if the left side is not 身, it is a different character.

射 is common in sports like 射门 (shooting a goal in soccer) and 射击 (shooting as a sport or activity). In science, 反射 means reflection of light or sound, and also a reflex action in biology. Culturally, archery (射) was one of the Six Arts required of ancient Chinese gentlemen, showing its historical importance.

Common words containing 射 include: 射门 (shè mén) — To shoot at the goal (in sports); 射击 (shè jī) — To shoot; shooting (sport); 反射 (fǎn shè) — Reflection; reflex.