How to Write 徐 (xú) — Meaning “Slowly / surname Xu”

Imagine someone walking (彳) with extra (余) time, so they walk slowly. The right part 余 looks like a person with arms out, taking a leisurely stroll. This visual can help you remember that 徐 means "slowly" or "gradually."

Write the left radical 彳 first (two strokes: a short left-falling stroke and a vertical stroke with a hook), then the right part 余 (six strokes: starting with the top "person" 人, then the horizontal lines). A common mistake is making the right side too wide or misplacing the dot above the 余; keep the character balanced and the right side slightly narrower.

徐 (xú) means "slowly," while 彼 (bǐ) means "that" or "the other," and 往 (wǎng) means "toward" or "past." Visually, 徐 has 余 on the right, 彼 has 皮 (skin/leather), and 往 has 主 (main) or a simplified form. All share the 彳 radical, but their right-side components give them completely different meanings.

徐 is most often used as a surname (Xu), like in 徐老师 (Teacher Xu). As a verb or adverb, it appears in formal or literary phrases such as 徐徐 (slowly/gradually) and 清风徐来 (a gentle breeze blowing slowly). You’ll encounter it in written descriptions of movement, weather, or elegant storytelling, but not in everyday casual speech.

Common words containing 徐 include: 徐徐 (xú xú) — Slowly / gradually; 徐老师 (xú lǎo shī) — Teacher Xu; 清风徐来 (qīng fēng xú lái) — A gentle breeze blows slowly..