How to Write 严 (yán) — Meaning “Strict”

Picture a strict teacher holding a ruler (the top horizontal line 一) and saying 'Yán!' while pointing at a student. The three horizontal lines inside look like a straight, serious mouth, reinforcing the idea of strictness.

Start with the top horizontal, then draw the first vertical, followed by three evenly spaced horizontal lines, another vertical, and finally the bottom horizontal. A common mistake is making the inner horizontals uneven or too short—keep them parallel and balanced.

严 has multiple horizontal lines (seven strokes total), while 且 (qiě) has only one inner horizontal and looks like a box. 丕 (pī) has a flat top and a diagonal stroke inside, unlike 严's straight vertical strokes.

严 appears in common words like 严格 (strict rules), 严重 (serious situation), and 严厉 (harsh punishment). In Chinese culture, 严 is associated with discipline and respect for authority, as seen in the proverb '严师出高徒' (a strict teacher produces outstanding students).

Common words containing 严 include: 严格 (yán gé) — Strict / Rigorous; 严重 (yán zhòng) — Serious / Grave; 严厉 (yán lì) — Severe / Harsh.