How to Write 斿 (yóu) — Meaning “streamer, banner”

Imagine a square flag (方) with a long cloth tail (the right side looks like a flowing streamer) that flutters in the wind. The sound 'yóu' can remind you of 'you' as in 'You see the flag waving.'

Write the radical 方 first (point, horizontal, left-falling, hook) then the right part: start with a diagonal slash, then a right-falling stroke, two horizontal dashes, and finish with a small left-falling tick. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it narrow and balanced with the left flag radical.

斿 has a right side that ends with a small tick (like a flowing tail), while 施 has the same left radical but its right side is 㐌 (a snake-like shape) and means 'to give' or 'to apply.' 旁 has the radical 方 on top but a different bottom (冖 and 方) and means 'side' or 'beside.' Visually, 斿's right part is more open and waving.

斿 is very rare in modern Chinese and mostly appears in classical texts or poetry describing ancient banners with streamers. It is not in the HSK list. Culturally, 斿 often evokes images of imperial or ceremonial flags in historical dramas, especially when paired with 旌 to mean 'banners and streamers.'

Common words containing 斿 include: 斿斿 (yóu yóu) — fluttering (of banners); 旌斿 (jīng yóu) — banners and streamers; 垂斿 (chuí yóu) — hanging tassels (on a crown or flag).