How to Write 簌 (sù) — Meaning “rustle”

Imagine bamboo (竹) leaves making a soft noise as they brush against each other, like a whisper. The bottom part 欠 looks like a person bending over, as if listening carefully to the rustling sound. This visual helps link the character to its meaning of rustle.

The top part 竹 must be written with two separate components: the left side as three strokes (撇、横、点) and the right side similarly. The bottom 欠 has a specific order: first the left-falling stroke (撇), then a horizontal hook (横钩), followed by a right-falling stroke (捺), and finally a dot (点). A common mistake is to merge the two halves of 竹 or to write the bottom 欠 with incorrect stroke sequence.

簌 is most often used in the reduplicated form 簌簌 (sù sù) to describe the sound of wind rustling leaves or tears streaming down. It appears in poetic or literary contexts rather than everyday speech. A cultural note: in classical Chinese poetry, 簌簌 evokes a gentle, melancholic atmosphere, often associated with autumn or sadness.

Common words containing 簌 include: 簌簌 (sù sù) — rustling or streaming down; 簌落 (sù luò) — to fall down (like leaves or tears); 扑簌 (pū sù) — (of tears) to stream down; rustling.