How to Write 隙 (xì) — Meaning “gap; crack; opportunity”

Imagine a small "white" (白) crack appearing in a "hill" (阝) after a tiny (小) earthquake. This visual helps link the components to the meaning of a gap or crack.

Pay attention to the left radical 阝 (written as 阝, not 卩): it has two strokes—a curved hook and a vertical line. The right side starts with a small 小 on top, then 白 below; make sure 小 is narrow and centered, and 白 is slightly wider. Avoid making the right side too tall or unbalanced.

部 (bù) means "part" or "unit" and uses the radical 阝 on the right, while 郫 (pí) is a place name with 阝 on the right; 隙 has 阝 on the left. Additionally, 隙 has a different right component (not 咅 or 卑) and refers specifically to a gap or opportunity, not a group or location.

隙 appears in words like 缝隙 (crack) and 空隙 (gap/interval), common in everyday descriptions of physical spaces or time. It can also mean "opportunity" in phrases like 乘隙 (take advantage of a gap), reflecting a cultural idea of seizing a chance through a small opening.

Common words containing 隙 include: 缝隙 (fèng xì) — chink; crack; gap; 空隙 (kòng xì) — Gap / interval; 间隙 (jiàn xì) — gap / interval / clearance.