How to Write 懈 (xiè) — Meaning “lax”

Imagine your heart (忄) is tied up with stress, but then you 'untie' it with 解 (jiě), so your heart becomes loose and relaxed. This visual of untying a knot helps you remember that 懈 means being mentally lax.

Write the left radical 忄 with two dots first, then the vertical stroke. The right side 解 is 13 strokes; be careful that the top part 角 has a hook shape, and the bottom is 牛 (but note that 解 is actually 角 + 刀 + 牛). Keep the left side narrow and the right side wider to balance the character.

懈 (lax) and 慢 (slow) both have the heart radical, but 慢 focuses on slowness in speed or action, while 懈 is about mental slackness. 慴 (fear) shares the same radical but has the right side 習 (practice) and means to fear or tremble, so the meanings are completely different.

懈 appears in formal or written Chinese, often in compound words like 松懈 (sōng xiè) for 'slack off' and 不懈 (bù xiè) for 'untiring' or 'persistent'. The word 不懈 is notably positive and common in motivational contexts, such as '坚持不懈' meaning 'persevere unremittingly'.

Common words containing 懈 include: 松懈 (sōng xiè) — slack; lax; to relax one's efforts; 懈怠 (xiè dài) — sluggish; 不懈 (bù xiè) — untiring; relentless; persistent.