How to Write 颓 (tuí) — Meaning “decadent / ruined / dejected”

Imagine a bald person (秃) putting their head (页) down in sadness. This image of a bald head hanging low captures the feeling of being dejected or dispirited, helping you remember 颓 (tuí).

Write the left component 秃 first (7 strokes: 撇, 横, 竖, 撇, 捺, 撇, 折), then the right component 页 (6 strokes). A common mistake is making the left part too wide or forgetting the small hook in the 几 part of 秃. Keep both sides balanced and roughly equal in height.

颓 has 秃 (bald) on the left, meaning decadence or decline, while 颅 has 卢 (ancient vessel) on the left, meaning skull, and 领 has 令 (order) on the left, meaning collar or to lead. Visually, 颓's left part looks like a bald head, whereas 颅's left is more boxy and 领's left is taller with a dot.

颓 appears in formal or literary contexts to describe a downward state, such as 颓废 (decadent/dispirited) or 颓势 (declining trend). Culturally, it often carries a negative tone, implying a loss of spirit or energy, and is not used in casual everyday conversation.

Common words containing 颓 include: 颓废 (tuí fèi) — decadent / dispirited; 颓丧 (tuí sàng) — dejected / dispirited; 颓势 (tuí shì) — declining trend / downward trend.