How to Write 凶 (xiōng) — Meaning “Fierce; ominous; murder”

Imagine a jagged, fierce animal (like a wolf) trapped inside a deep pit (凵). The cross mark '乂' looks like claw marks, reminding you that something dangerous is inside—making the meaning 'fierce' or 'ominous' easy to recall.

Stroke order: first draw the left vertical line, then the bottom horizontal line, then the right vertical line (凵), and finally the inner '乂'. Common mistakes include making the inner cross too small or too large—keep it centered and balanced within the enclosure.

凵 is just the open box radical, meaning 'receptacle', and is never used alone as a word like 凶. 凸 means 'convex' or 'bulging', with a shape that sticks outward, while 凶 has a cross inside and means 'fierce' or 'murder'.

凶 appears in words like 凶手 (murderer) and 凶猛 (ferocious), often describing danger or violence. In Chinese culture, the character is considered inauspicious and is avoided in names or festive contexts because it suggests bad luck or harm.

Common words containing 凶 include: 凶手 (xiōng shǒu) — Murderer; killer; 凶猛 (xiōng měng) — Ferocious; violent; 凶恶 (xiōng è) — Fierce; vicious.