How to Write 廨 (xiè) — Meaning “Government office / Official residence”

Imagine a government office under a roof (广) where officials untie (解) problems and solve cases. This visual of a "problem-solving building" links the character's shape to its meaning of an official workplace.

Write the radical 广 first (dot, horizontal stroke, then sweeping left-down). The right part 解 requires careful spacing: the upper 角 (horn) should be compact, the middle 刀 (knife) narrow, and the bottom 牛 (cow) balanced. A common mistake is making the right side too wide, disrupting the character's overall symmetry.

廨 means "government office" and contains 解 inside. 廑 (jǐn) means "a small room" or "diligent" and has 堇 (clay) inside. 廖 (liào) means "empty" or "vast" and contains 翏 (phonetic component). Visually, 廨 is the only one with the 解 component, so look for the 角, 刀, and 牛 parts to identify it.

廨 is very rare in modern daily Chinese and not in HSK vocabulary. It appears mostly in historical texts or classical literature referring to ancient government offices like 公廨 (gōng xiè). You might encounter it in historical dramas or calligraphy but seldom in contemporary conversation.

Common words containing 廨 include: 公廨 (gōng xiè) — Government office (ancient); 官廨 (guān xiè) — Government office; 廨舍 (xiè shě) — Official residence / Government building.