How to Write 追 (zhuī) — Meaning “To chase; to pursue”

Imagine you are chasing yourself: the left side 辶 looks like a moving road, and the right side resembles a person (自 for self) with two legs (廾) running forward. Picture a person running on a path to chase their own shadow, and you will remember 追 means to pursue.

Note that 追 has 9 strokes: start with the left radical 辶 (3 strokes: dot, horizontal folding, then the final sweeping stroke), then write the right part as 自 (6 strokes) followed by 廾 (2 strokes) but the 廾 is actually two strokes that merge into the final shape. A common mistake is writing the right side too wide; keep it compact so the 辶 can wrap underneath.

All three share the radical 辶, but the right side differs: 追 has 自+廾 (self and hands), meaning to chase; 迎 has 卬 (a kneeling person) meaning to welcome or face; 运 has 云 (cloud) meaning to transport or move. Visually, 追 has more strokes on the right, while 迎 and 运 are simpler.

追 is common in daily life, such as 追求 (to pursue a goal or romantic interest), 追赶 (to chase after someone or catch up), and 追问 (to question persistently). In Chinese culture, 追 is often used in phrases like 追梦 (chase dreams) to express ambition, and 追星 (chase stars) refers to being a fan of celebrities.

Common words containing 追 include: 追求 (zhuī qiú) — to pursue; to seek; 追赶 (zhuī gǎn) — to chase; to catch up with; 追问 (zhuī wèn) — to question closely; to cross-examine.