How to Write 抒 (shū) — Meaning “Express / Vent”

Imagine you use your hand (扌) to gently push your feelings out of your chest, like giving (予) them away. The sound "shū" can remind you of "shoo" — you shoo away your emotions by expressing them.

Pay attention to the balance between the left radical 扌 and the right part 予 — the 扌 is narrow and the 予 is slightly wider. The stroke order is first the three strokes of 扌 (horizontal, vertical hook, lifting stroke), then the right side starting with the top horizontal fold and ending with the vertical stroke.

Unlike 抒 (express), 扑 (pū) means to pounce or rush, and its right side is 卜 (divination). The character 㧜 is very rare and usually means to strike; it differs visually by having a different right component. 抒 always relates to expressing feelings, while the others involve physical actions.

抒 appears mainly in written or artistic contexts, such as in 抒情 (lyrical poetry) and 抒发 (to voice emotions). It is common in literature, song lyrics, and formal essays, but less frequent in everyday conversation. Culturally, the idea of 抒情 is central to Chinese poetry, which values sincere emotional expression.

Common words containing 抒 include: 抒发 (shū fā) — Express / Voice; 抒情 (shū qíng) — Lyrical / Expressing emotion; 抒写 (shū xiě) — Express in writing.