How to Write 舁 (yú) — Meaning “to carry together (by two or more people)”

Imagine two people (symbolized by 廾) helping each other lift a big stone mortar (臼). The pinyin "yú" sounds like "you" — think "you and a friend carry something together."

Write the top part 臼 first with 6 strokes: a vertical, then horizontal breaks, and a bottom horizontal. Then add the bottom 廾 with 3 strokes: two horizontal lines and a vertical down the middle. A common mistake is making the 臼 too narrow — keep it wide so the character looks balanced.

The key difference is the bottom part. 舁 has 廾 (two hands), meaning lifting together. 臽 has 人 (a person) below, relating to a trap or pit (as in 陷阱). 臾 has a twisted stroke below, indicating a short moment or to urge. Focus on the lower component to distinguish them.

舁 is very rare in daily Chinese and mostly appears in historical or literary texts. You might see it in words like 舁夫 (palanquin bearer) or 舁送 (to transport by carrying), which refer to traditional practices of carrying people or goods with poles.

Common words containing 舁 include: 舁举 (yú jǔ) — to lift up together; 舁送 (yú sòng) — to transport (by carrying); 舁夫 (yú fū) — porter or palanquin bearer.