How to Write 髭 (zī) — Meaning “mustache”

Imagine someone pointing at their upper lip and saying 'This (此) hair (髟) is my mustache!' Picture the shape of 此 sitting under a hairy radical to remind you that 髭 means mustache.

The top radical 髟 has three short slanted strokes (彡) that should be even and not too large. The bottom part 此 contains 止 (on left) and 匕 (on right) — make sure 止 is narrow and 匕 fits neatly under the last stroke of 止.

髦 (máo) means long hair or fashionable, using 毛 (hair) below 髟. 髫 (tiáo) refers to a child's haircut with bangs, using 召 (to call) below 髟. 髭 specifically means mustache — the hair above the upper lip — and is not used for general hair or hairstyles.

髭 is a formal or literary word for mustache; in daily speech people say 胡子 (húzi) instead. You might see it in classical texts, idioms like 髭须 (beard and mustache), or historical descriptions of scholars and officials who often grew long mustaches as a sign of wisdom.

Common words containing 髭 include: 髭须 (zī xū) — mustache and beard; 髭胡 (zī hú) — mustache and beard; 剪髭 (jiǎn zī) — to trim a mustache.