How to Write 授 (shòu) — Meaning “to give; to award; to teach”

Picture a hand (扌) holding a diploma and placing it into another hand (受) — this represents a professor awarding a degree. The image of one hand giving and the other receiving directly connects to the meanings of teaching and awarding. Linking the visual to the common word 教授 (professor) can make it easier to recall.

Write the left radical 扌 first with three strokes: horizontal, vertical hook, then lift. The right part 受 starts with the top claw (爫), then the cover (冖), and finally the bottom 又 (hand) — do not forget the dot inside the cover. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep the left and right balanced, with the right side slightly taller.

授 has the hand radical 扌 on the left and the component 受 on the right, while 拜 (bài, to worship) uses a different right side (two 手 hand symbols) and 括 (kuò, to include) has 舌 (tongue) on the right. In meaning, 授 involves giving or teaching, 拜 relates to bowing or worshipping, and 括 means to enclose or include. Visually, remember that 授's right side looks like a hand receiving something.

授 appears in formal contexts like 教授 (professor), 授课 (to teach a class), and 授权 (to authorize). It is especially common in academic and official settings, emphasizing a transfer of knowledge, authority, or awards from a higher to a lower level. Culturally, using 授 in words like 授奖 (to award a prize) reflects respect for hierarchy and formal recognition in Chinese society.

Common words containing 授 include: 教授 (jiào shòu) — professor; 授课 (shòu kè) — to give a lesson; to teach a class; 授权 (shòu quán) — to authorize; to empower.