How to Write 恙 (yàng) — Meaning “ailment”

Imagine a sheep (羊) that has a heart (心) problem — that sheep is sick, so 恙 means "ailment." This mental picture ties the shape directly to the meaning.

The top part 羊 must be written correctly: start with two dots, then three horizontal strokes, and a vertical down the middle. The bottom part 心 should be written with the left dot, then the hook, then the top and right dots. A common mistake is making the heart too wide or forgetting the hook.

恙 has a sheep (羊) on top, 忝 has "heaven" (天) on top, and 忞 has "writing" (文) on top. Their meanings are also different: 恙 means "ailment," 忝 means "to disgrace" or is used humbly, and 忞 is a rare word meaning "diligent."

恙 is not used alone in daily speech; it appears in fixed phrases like 无恙 (wú yàng, safe and sound) and the polite greeting 别来无恙 (bié lái wú yàng, hope you have been well). These are formal or literary expressions, often seen in letters or historical dramas.

Common words containing 恙 include: 无恙 (wú yàng) — Safe and sound; in good health.; 别来无恙 (bié lái wú yàng) — I hope you have been well since we last met.; 微恙 (wēi yàng) — slight illness; indisposition.