How to Write 洫 (xù) — Meaning “Ditch; drain; moat”

Imagine a ditch filled with red water — the left side 氵 is water, and the right side 血 looks like blood. This "blood water" in a trench helps you recall that 洫 means a ditch or moat.

Write the water radical 氵 first with three dots, then the right side 血: start with the left vertical stroke (丿), then horizontal (一), then another short vertical, and finish with a long horizontal base stroke. A common mistake is making the right part too tall — keep 血 compact and balanced with the three dots on the left.

洫 has 氵 + 血, meaning a ditch or moat. 㳄 (xián) is 氵 + 欠 and means saliva or drool — the right side is 欠 (to owe/lack). 汧 (qiān) is 氵 + 开 and was an ancient river name — the right side uses 开 (open). Visually, 血, 欠, and 开 are distinct once you learn the strokes.

洫 is rare in daily speech and mostly appears in classical or historical texts describing ancient irrigation systems or city defenses. The word 沟洫 (gōu xù) means 'irrigation ditch' and may be seen in agricultural or archaeological discussions, while 城洫 (chéng xù) refers to a city moat in historical settings.

Common words containing 洫 include: 沟洫 (gōu xù) — Irrigation ditch; 洫水 (xù shuǐ) — Xu River; 城洫 (chéng xù) — City moat..