How to Write 鄦 (xǔ) — Meaning “Xu (ancient state name)”

Imagine a person with arms raised (like 無) standing on a hill (the left 阝) and declaring, "This is the State of Xu!" The shape of 無 resembles a figure celebrating, and the hill shows it is a place. This visual helps link the unusual right side to the meaning of an ancient state.

The left 阝 should be narrow and placed high, with its vertical stroke ending near the middle of the right part. The right side 無 is complex—write the top 撇 first, then the horizontal strokes, and keep the bottom balanced. A common mistake is making the 無 too wide, which throws off the overall proportion.

鄦 has 無 on the right, which looks tall with many horizontal lines and a curved top stroke. 鄙 has 啚 on the right, featuring a square 口 shape at the top. 鄞 has 堇 on the right, which includes a horizontal 廿 (twenty) component. Focus on the top part of the right side to spot the difference.

鄦 is extremely rare and appears only in historical or classical texts about the ancient State of Xu from the Zhou dynasty. You will not find it in daily conversation or modern media. It is mainly encountered when studying ancient Chinese geography or reading historical records.

Common words containing 鄦 include: 鄦地 (xǔ dì) — the region of Xu; 鄦国 (xǔ guó) — the State of Xu; 鄦邑 (xǔ yì) — the town of Xu.