How to Write 檄 (xí) — Meaning “official call to arms”

Imagine a wooden tablet (木) being hit sharply (敫) to announce a military order. The sound of the strike reminds you that a 檄 is a urgent call to arms written on a wooden slip.

Write the left radical 木 with a short horizontal stroke, then vertical, then left-falling and right-falling strokes. The right part 敫 has many strokes; be careful to write the top 白 (bái) compactly, then the lower 攵 (pū) with a balanced width. A common mistake is making the right side too wide, so keep it narrow and centered.

檄 (xí) has the right component 敫 and means 'call to arms,' while 槭 (qì) is a tree name (maple) with the right side 戚 (qī). 槲 (hú) is an oak-like tree with the right part 斛 (hú). Visually, 檄's right side is more complex with 白 and 攵, while 槭 and 槲 have simpler right sides.

Today, 檄 is most commonly found in the word 檄文 (xíwén), meaning a manifesto or official call to action, often in political or historical contexts. It is not used in daily conversation but appears in formal writing, historical discussions, or news about declarations of war or protests.

Common words containing 檄 include: 檄文 (xí wén) — official call to arms; manifesto; 传檄 (chuán xí) — To issue an official call to arms or a proclamation.; 讨檄 (tǎo xí) — To issue a call to arms.