How to Write 栩 (xǔ) — Meaning “Vivid; Oak tree”

Picture a wooden (木) tree with colorful feathers (羽) growing on it, making the tree look so real and vivid that you could believe it is alive. This combines the two meanings of "oak" and "vivid" into one memorable image.

Pay attention to the right side 羽: it has two connected 习 parts, each with one dot and one horizontal stroke—do not write them as separate characters. Also, the left radical 木 should be narrower and taller, with the horizontal stroke slightly tilted upward, while the right side 羽 is wider and balanced.

栩 (xǔ) uses the radical 木 plus 羽 and means "vivid" or "oak," while 杪 (miǎo) has 木 plus 少 and means "treetop" or "end." 杭 (háng) has 木 plus 亢 and is a place name or means "to sail." Visually, 栩 has the feather component on the right, while 杪 has "few" and 杭 has "stubborn."

栩 appears mostly in the idiom 栩栩如生 (xǔ xǔ rú shēng), meaning "lifelike" or "vivid," often used to describe artworks, sculptures, or descriptions that seem real. This phrase is very common in Chinese criticism and everyday speech, so learning 栩 helps you understand a classic expression for praising realism.

Common words containing 栩 include: 栩栩如生 (xǔ xǔ rú shēng) — Lifelike; True to life; 栩栩 (xǔ xǔ) — Lifelike; Vivid; 栩然 (xǔ rán) — Vividly; Clearly.