How to Write 型 (xíng) — Meaning “type; model; mold”

Imagine a 'model' (型) made of clay: the top part 刑 looks like a knife cutting a shape, and the bottom 土 is dirt. Picture a potter using a knife to carve a clay model to remember that 型 means 'type' or 'model'.

The top part 刑 has 6 strokes: write 开 first (two horizontal lines then two vertical lines), then add 刂 (vertical hook and line). The bottom 土 is 3 strokes: horizontal, vertical, and bottom horizontal. Ensure the top component is centered above 土, and the vertical stroke of 土 aligns with the middle of 刑.

型 and 圻 both contain 土, but 型 has 刑 on top and means 'type/model', while 圻 (qí) has 斤 (axe) on top and means 'boundary' or 'border'. They look different: 型 has a vertical knife radical (刂) on the right of 刑, whereas 圻 has 斤 on the left side.

型 appears in words like 模型 (model), 发型 (hairstyle), and 类型 (type/category). It is used to describe categories, shapes, or molds in daily life, such as discussing a 'new hairstyle' (新发型) or 'blood type' (血型).

Common words containing 型 include: 模型 (mó xíng) — model; scale model; 发型 (fà xíng) — Hairstyle; 类型 (lèi xíng) — Type; category; genre.