How to Write 详 (xiáng) — Meaning “detailed; clear”

Picture a sheep (羊) standing next to a speech bubble (讠) and speaking very slowly and clearly. The sheep is giving a "detailed" explanation of something, so you remember that 详 means "detailed" or "clear."

Write the left radical 讠 first as two strokes (a dot then a rising hook); then write the right side 羊 starting with the top dot, then three horizontal strokes, then a vertical stroke downward, and finally two short horizontal strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide—keep 羊 narrow so the character stays balanced.

讲 (jiǎng) means "to speak" or "to explain" and uses the same radical 讠 but with a different right part (井). 讳 (huì) means "to avoid mentioning" or "taboo" and also uses 讠 with a right part (韦). Unlike these, 详 focuses on the quality of being detailed and clear, not just speaking or avoiding.

详 appears in common words like 详细 (detailed) and 详情 (details), used when asking for or giving thorough information, such as in business or daily conversation. A cultural note: In Chinese tradition, being 详细 is valued in formal writing and instructions, as clarity shows respect and thoroughness.

Common words containing 详 include: 详细 (xiáng xì) — detailed; in detail; 详情 (xiáng qíng) — details; particulars; 详谈 (xiáng tán) — to talk in detail.