How to Write 休 (xiū) — Meaning “To rest; to stop; to divorce”

Picture a tired person (亻) going over to a tree (木) and leaning against it to rest. The simple scene of 'person + tree = rest' makes the character easy to recall. This mnemonic uses the character’s own components to create a memorable story.

Write the left radical 亻 first (a left-falling stroke then a vertical stroke). Then write 木: horizontal, vertical (crossing the horizontal), left-falling stroke, right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the left and right strokes of 木 uneven in length, so keep them balanced and symmetrical.

休 (rest) has 亻+木 (tree), while 什 (shén/shí) has 亻+十 (ten) and 仁 (rén) has 亻+二 (two). The meanings are completely different: 休 is about resting, 什 is used in words like 什么 (what), and 仁 means benevolence or a kernel. Visually, the right-side component changes, so carefully compare 木, 十, and 二.

休 is very common in everyday vocabulary such as 休息 (xiū xi, to rest), 休假 (xiū jià, to take a vacation), and 退休 (tuì xiū, to retire). You will hear it in workplace or school settings when someone suggests taking a break. Culturally, the concept of 休息 is valued in China as part of balancing work and life.

Common words containing 休 include: 休息 (xiū xī) — To rest; to take a break; 休假 (xiū jià) — To take a vacation; to be on leave; 退休 (tuì xiū) — to retire.