How to Write 危 (wēi) — Meaning “danger; high; precarious”

Imagine a person (⺈) kneeling (卩) on the edge of a cliff—dangerous! The shape looks like someone bending over a sharp drop, reminding you that 危 means 'danger' or 'precarious.'

Start with the top component ⺈ (two strokes: downward left diagonal, then a horizontal hook). Then write the lower part 卩 as a horizontal fold, a short vertical, and a final vertical hook. Make sure the top is narrower than the bottom, and don't confuse the final stroke with a straight line.

危 (wēi) means 'danger,' while 卬 (yǎng, rare) means 'raise' or 'lofty,' and 卮 (zhī, old word for 'wine cup') is a noun. Visually, 危 has a top bent like a person, 卬 has a raised top, and 卮 adds an extra horizontal stroke inside the bottom component.

危 appears in common words like 危险 (wēixiǎn, dangerous), 危害 (wēihài, to harm), and 危急 (wēijí, critical). You'll see it in safety warnings, news about emergencies, or discussions of health risks—for example, 'It's dangerous!' is '危危险!' (colloquially) or more formally '危险！'.

Common words containing 危 include: 危险 (wēi xiǎn) — dangerous; danger; 危害 (wēi hài) — to harm; to endanger; to jeopardize; 危急 (wēi jí) — critical; desperate; urgent.