How to Write 戏 (xì) — Meaning “play; drama; show”

Imagine a hand (又) holding a spear (戈) on a stage, ready to act in a drama — that is 戏. This picture helps you remember that 戏 means a play or performance.

The left component 又 has two strokes: first a horizontal curve (横撇), then a downward right stroke (捺). The right component 戈 has four strokes: a short horizontal, a long slant hook going down and hooking left, a small left-falling stroke, and a dot at the top right. A common mistake is forgetting the dot on 戈 or making the slant hook too straight.

戏 has an extra 又 on the left, while 戈 and 戉 are standalone characters. 戈 (gē) means a weapon like a dagger-axe, and 戉 (yuè) is an ancient axe — both are weapon names. 戏, in contrast, means a play, drama, or game, so it is only used for entertainment and performance, not for weapons.

戏 appears in common words like 游戏 (game) and 戏曲 (traditional Chinese opera). 戏曲 is a major part of Chinese culture, combining singing, acting, and acrobatics, and it has many regional styles like Peking opera.

Common words containing 戏 include: 游戏 (yóu xì) — Game; 戏曲 (xì qǔ) — traditional Chinese opera; 入戏 (rù xì) — to get into character / to be immersed in a play.