How to Write 猥 (wěi) — Meaning “obscene; vulgar”

Picture a scared dog (犭) cowering in fear (畏) but acting in a sleazy, disgusting way—like a dog that whines and slinks around. This image links the animal radical and the "fear" component to the character's negative meanings. The awkward, shameful pose of the dog helps you recall 猥's sense of obscenity.

Write the left radical 犭 first with three strokes: a short left-falling stroke, then a curved hook, and a final left-falling stroke. The right part 畏 should be slightly wider, with the top 田 balanced above the bottom 一 and ㇂. A common mistake is making the 犭 too large or the 畏 too narrow—keep the proportions compact.

All three use the 犭 radical, but their right components differ: 猥 has 畏 (fear, leading to "obscene"), 狳 has 余 (meaning "surplus" or a type of animal), and 狴 has 卑 (meaning "low" or a mythical beast). In usage, 猥 is about vulgar behavior, while 狳 and 狴 are rare animal names. Visually, focus on the right side to tell them apart.

猥 appears in negative words like 猥琐 (wěi suǒ, meaning sleazy or petty) and 猥亵 (wěi xiè, meaning indecent or to molest). It is mostly used in formal or legal contexts, such as describing inappropriate behavior or sexual assault. Because it is very negative and not in the HSK, language learners should understand it but rarely use it actively.

Common words containing 猥 include: 猥琐 (wěi suǒ) — wretched; sleazy; petty; 猥亵 (wěi xiè) — indecent; to molest; lewd; 卑猥 (bēi wěi) — vulgar; obscene.