How to Write 手 (shǒu) — Meaning “hand”

Think of the character 手 as a hand with four fingers pointing up—the top horizontal stroke is the wrist, the middle two strokes are the index and middle fingers, and the bottom curved stroke is the thumb. Or imagine holding up your hand and counting four lines: one wrist line and three finger lines.

Write the first stroke as a short horizontal line, then a long horizontal stroke, followed by a vertical stroke that cuts through the middle, and finally a curved hook stroke at the bottom. A common mistake is making the bottom hook too straight—it should curve slightly to the left to mimic the thumb.

手机 (shǒu jī) means 'mobile phone'—literally 'hand machine,' as you hold it in your hand. 洗手 (xǐ shǒu) means 'to wash hands,' a daily hygiene phrase. 手表 (shǒu biǎo) is 'watch,' worn on the wrist.

手 is used in many daily words related to actions, tools, and body parts. In Chinese culture, pointing with a single finger can be rude, so people often use an open hand or the character 手 to gesture politely.

Common words containing 手 include: 手机 (shǒu jī) — mobile phone; 洗手 (xǐ shǒu) — To wash hands.; 手表 (shǒu biǎo) — Watch..