How to Write 窒 (zhì) — Meaning “To obstruct, stop up, or suffocate.”

Imagine you are in a cave (穴) and you arrive (至) at a dead end where the air is blocked, making you feel suffocated. This image links the components to the character’s meaning of obstruction and suffocation.

Write the top radical 穴 first: start with the roof (宀), then the two dots below it like an upside-down "V". Then add 至 underneath, making sure its horizontal strokes are evenly spaced. A common mistake is to make the bottom 至 too narrow or to forget the second dot in the top part.

窒 has the bottom part 至 (arrive), meaning to block or suffocate. 穿 (chuān) has bottom 牙 (tooth), meaning to pierce or wear clothing. 窀 (zhūn) has bottom 屯 (store), meaning burial. Visually, 窒 looks more horizontal, while 穿 has a sharp tooth shape and 窀 has a rounded store shape.

窒 appears in common words like 窒息 (zhì xī, to suffocate) and 窒碍 (zhì ài, obstacle). 窒息 is used both literally for lack of air and metaphorically for feeling stifled, for example in a tense environment. It is a formal character not found in everyday HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 窒 include: 窒息 (zhì xī) — To suffocate or stifle.; 窒碍 (zhì ài) — An obstacle, hindrance, or to obstruct.; 气窒 (qì zhì) — Suffocation / Asphyxia.