How to Write 肖 (xiāo/xiào) — Meaning “to resemble / to be like”

Think of a small (小) moon (月) that looks exactly like the real moon – that's how 肖 means "to resemble." Another trick is to remember the common word 生肖 (zodiac): each small (小) animal sign resembles (肖) a year in the cycle, and your body (月) is linked to it. This visual of a tiny moon mimicking a larger one helps fix the shape and meaning in your mind.

Write 肖 with 7 strokes: first the left radical 月 (4 strokes: left-falling stroke, horizontal-vertical-hook, horizontal, horizontal), then the right part 小 (3 strokes: vertical-hook, left dot, right dot). A common mistake is making the right part 小 too wide or its vertical hook too curved – keep it straight and compact. Ensure the bottom of both sides are aligned so the character looks balanced.

Compared to 有 (yǒu, "to have"), 肖 has 小 on the right while 有 has 又 below the 月. Compared to 朊 (ruǎn, a rare character for "protein"), 肖 uses 小 on the right whereas 朊 uses 元 (yuán). Visually, 肖 is left-right symmetrical with a small right portion, while 有 is top-bottom and 朊 has a larger right component. Their meanings also differ: 肖 is about resemblance, 有 about possession, and 朊 relates to chemistry.

肖 appears most commonly in the term 生肖 (shēngxiào), meaning the Chinese zodiac signs like Rat, Ox, Tiger – a central cultural concept. It is also a surname (肖, pronounced xiào) and used in literary words like 酷肖 (kùxiāo, "striking resemblance"). While 肖 itself is not in the HSK list, learners encounter it when studying zodiac culture or reading names.

Common words containing 肖 include: 生肖 (shēng xiào) — Chinese zodiac sign; 酷肖 (kù xiāo) — To look exactly like; a striking resemblance.; 姓肖 (xìng xiào) — Surnamed Xiao..