How to Write 五 (wǔ) — Meaning “five”

Picture a person standing with arms stretched out and legs apart—their head, two hands, and two feet create five points. The top and bottom lines of 五 are the shoulders and feet, while the cross in the middle represents the body and arms.

Write the top horizontal line first, then the vertical line downward, next a horizontal fold (like a small hook), and finally the bottom horizontal line. A common mistake is making the middle vertical line too short—it should clearly cross both horizontal lines.

五 has four strokes and a crossing pattern, while 二 has only two horizontal strokes and means 'two.' 亍 (chù) looks like 五 but lacks the horizontal fold in the middle—it is written with three strokes: a top horizontal, a vertical, and a bottom horizontal.

五 is used for the number five in dates like 五月 (May) and times like 五点 (five o'clock). It also appears in lucky phrases such as 五福临门 (five blessings at the door), reflecting its cultural association with good fortune.

Common words containing 五 include: 五月 (wǔ yuè) — May; 五点 (wǔ diǎn) — five o'clock; 五个 (wǔ gè) — five (items).