How to Write 咒 (zhòu) — Meaning “curse; incantation”

Imagine two mouths (口) sitting on either side of a small table (几) and chanting together to cast a spell. The picture of two mouths speaking over a table helps you recall that 咒 means 'curse' or 'incantation'. Remember: "Two mouths at a table, chanting a curse."

Start by writing the top 口 (mouth) first, then draw the 几 (table) shape below it, and finally add the bottom-right 口. Make sure the two 口 parts are similar in size and the 几 is centered under the top 口 — many learners make the bottom 口 too large or misplace the 几. The stroke order is: top 口 (3 strokes), then 几 (2 strokes), then bottom 口 (3 strokes), for a total of 8 strokes.

咒 has two 口 parts and a 几 between them, while 吁 has a 口 on the left and 于 (yú) on the right, and 吂 has a 口 on top and 亡 (wáng) below. Visually, 咒 looks like a stack of two mouths with a table, whereas 吁 is left-right and 吂 is top-bottom. In meaning, 咒 is used for spells or curses, 吁 means 'to sigh' or 'to appeal', and 吂 is an old character meaning 'don't' or 'not'.

咒 appears in words like 咒语 (spell or mantra) and 诅咒 (to curse), often in stories, fantasies, or religious contexts. In daily life, Chinese people might say 念咒 (chant a spell) when joking about superstition or in movies. Culturally, 咒 carries a negative or mysterious tone, so it is not used lightly in polite conversation.

Common words containing 咒 include: 咒语 (zhòu yǔ) — incantation; spell; mantra; 诅咒 (zǔ zhòu) — To curse / Curse; 念咒 (niàn zhòu) — to chant a spell; to incant.