How to Write 寿 (shòu) — Meaning “Longevity; life.”

Imagine the top part of 寿 looks like a person with long hair, and the bottom 寸 is a hand holding a bowl of long noodles. This reminds you of the birthday tradition of eating 寿面 (longevity noodles) to wish for a long life.

Start by writing three horizontal strokes from the top, with the second one a little shorter, then a left-falling stroke. Next write the bottom 寸: a horizontal, a vertical hook, and a dot. A common mistake is making the top part too wide or forgetting the dot inside 寸.

㝵 has a top that looks like a closed box (similar to 日 or 曰), while 寿's top has open horizontal strokes. 对 (duì) uses 又 (hand) on the left side and 寸 on the right, so it is balanced left-right, whereas 寿 is top-heavy with its unique upper part.

寿 appears in words like 长寿 (longevity) and 寿命 (lifespan). It is a very lucky character often seen on birthday decorations and gifts, especially for elderly people, and is associated with the tradition of eating 寿面 (longevity noodles) on birthdays.

Common words containing 寿 include: 寿命 (shòu mìng) — Lifespan; life expectancy; 寿面 (shòu miàn) — Longevity noodles (eaten on birthdays); 长寿 (cháng shòu) — longevity.