How to Write 突 (tū) — Meaning “Sudden, abrupt, or to dash.”

Imagine a dog (犬) hiding in a cave (穴) and then jumping out at you — that’s a sudden surprise! The picture of the dog "dashing" out helps you connect it to the meaning "sudden" or "to dash."

Write the top radical 穴 first: dot, dot, horizontal hook, left-falling stroke, dot. Then add 犬: horizontal, left-falling, right-falling, and finally the small dot at the end. A common mistake is making the bottom 犬 too big or forgetting the final dot.

All three share the 穴 radical, but the bottom parts are different: 突 has 犬 (dog), 究 has 九 (nine), and 穷 has 力 (strength). Their meanings also differ — 突 means "sudden," 究 means "to investigate," and 穷 means "poor."

突 appears in common words like 突然 (suddenly), 突破 (breakthrough), and 突出 (prominent). It is often used in news for scientific breakthroughs or sudden events, and in daily speech to describe something unexpected.

Common words containing 突 include: 突然 (tū rán) — Suddenly or unexpectedly.; 突破 (tū pò) — Breakthrough or to break through.; 突出 (tū chū) — Prominent, outstanding, or to stick out..