How to Write 斦 (yín) — Meaning “Two axes (archaic)”

Picture two axes crossing each other like an 'X' to form a solid, firm shape. The left 斤 and right 斤 look like two strong arms holding axes, reinforcing the meaning of 'solid' or 'firm.' Remember that the double axe image means something hard and unbreakable.

Write the left 斤 first (3 strokes: left-falling stroke, horizontal, vertical), then write the right 斤 (same 3 strokes) — total 8 strokes. Keep both halves balanced and the same size, with the horizontal strokes aligned. A common mistake is making one 斤 larger than the other, so practice symmetry.

斧 (fǔ) means 'axe' as a tool and uses a father (父) component, while 斫 (zhuó) means 'to chop' and has a stone (石) component. 斦 uniquely has two 斤 radicals, representing paired axes or solidness, not a single axe or an action. Unlike 斧 and 斫, 斦 is archaic and rarely used in modern Chinese.

斦 is extremely rare in modern Chinese and appears mainly in ancient texts or classical poetry. It appears in archaic compound words like 斦斦 (yín yín, 'firm/solid') and 斦石 (yín shí, 'hard stone'), often describing strength or durability. Today, it is mostly studied for its historical character structure rather than daily use.

Common words containing 斦 include: 斦斦 (yín yín) — Firm / Solid (archaic); 斦质 (yín zhì) — Solid quality (archaic); 斦石 (yín shí) — Hard stone (archaic).