How to Write 输 (shū) — Meaning “To lose; to transport; to input.”

Imagine a vehicle (车) that is losing a race because it has to carry a heavy boat (俞, which looks like a person in a boat). The boat makes it too slow, so it loses. This connects the image of transport with the idea of losing.

Keep the left part 车 narrow and the right part 俞 wider. A common mistake is making the left side too large or confusing the order of strokes in 俞: first write the top 人, then the middle 月, then the bottom vertical knife (刂). Practice the right side carefully.

输 is common and means lose/input/transport, with 俞 on the right. 毂 (gǔ) has 殳 (weapon) on the right and means "wheel hub"—it is rare and used only in old texts. 舆 (yú) has a different structure (车 inside) and means "carriage" or "public," as in 舆论 (public opinion). Their meanings and shapes are quite distinct.

输 appears in daily words like 输入 (to input data), 输赢 (win or loss), and 运输 (transportation). In sports or gambling, people say 我输了 (I lost) to admit defeat. The word 输赢 reflects a cultural focus on competition and outcomes in Chinese society.

Common words containing 输 include: 输入 (shū rù) — To input; to enter.; 输赢 (shū yíng) — Win or loss; outcome.; 运输 (yùn shū) — transport; transportation.