How to Write 彖 (tuàn) — Meaning “Tuan (hexagram definitions in the I Ching)”

Imagine a pig (豕) with a special mark (彐) on its head, and think of the pig as a 'symbol' that needs a 'commentary' to be understood. The character looks like a pig with a top hat, and the hat represents the 'judgment' or 'explanation' for the hexagram. This helps connect 彖 to its meaning as the decision text for I Ching hexagrams.

Start with the top radical 彐 (3 strokes: horizontal, horizontal, horizontal), then write the bottom part 豕 (6 strokes). The bottom part resembles 豕 but note the left stroke is a short slash, not a full vertical. A common mistake is to make the bottom too wide or confuse it with 彐 followed by 永; ensure the final strokes are a left-sweeping stroke and two short slashes on the right.

录 (lù) means 'to record' and has a different bottom (氺, water) instead of 豕; its radical is 彐 but with water below. 彗 (huì) means 'comet' or 'broom'; its bottom is 彐 with a curved tail and two additional strokes, not the full pig component. Visually, 彖 has a clear pig-like bottom (豕) with a horizontal top, while 录 has a water component and 彗 has a longer tail.

彖 is almost exclusively used in relation to the I Ching (Book of Changes) as part of terms like 彖辞 (hexagram judgment text) and 彖传 (commentary on the judgments). It is not used in everyday language; you will only encounter it in classical Chinese studies, philosophy discussions, or explanations of the I Ching. Knowing this character helps in reading ancient Chinese divination texts.

Common words containing 彖 include: 彖辞 (tuàn cí) — the text explaining a hexagram; 彖传 (tuàn chuán) — Commentary on the Decision (in the I Ching); 卦彖 (guà tuàn) — commentary on the hexagrams.