How to Write 锼 (sōu) — Meaning “To cut with a fret saw; to engrave”

Imagine an old man (叟) using a metal saw (钅) to carve beautiful patterns into wood. The picture of an elderly craftsman carefully sawing can help link the metal radical and the right side to the meaning of engraving.

Write the left side 钅 first: it has five strokes and is narrow. Then write the right side 叟, which has nine strokes and is wider. A common mistake is confusing the top part of 叟 (臼) with written 曰 — make sure the middle is open and the strokes are clearly separated.

锼 (sōu) means to saw or engrave, while 铓 (máng) refers to a sharp point or blade, and 铸 (zhù) means to cast or mold metal. Visually, 锼 has 叟 on the right, 铓 has 亡, and 铸 has 寿 — so focus on the right side to tell them apart.

锼 is not common in daily speech, but it appears in craft contexts like 锼刻 (carving with a saw) and 锼花 (fretwork). It is especially associated with traditional Chinese woodworking and metal engraving, where craftsmen create delicate decorative patterns using a fret saw.

Common words containing 锼 include: 锼刻 (sōu kè) — To carve or engrave (with a saw); 锼花 (sōu huā) — To saw out decorative patterns; fretwork; 锼一下 (sōu yī xià) — To saw or cut a bit.