How to Write 陬 (zōu) — Meaning “corner or remote place”

Imagine a hill (阝) that is so remote that you have to 'take' (取) a long journey to reach its corner. Another way is to think of the word 'zoo' (sounds like zōu): a zoo often has hidden corners where shy animals hide. This links the sound and the idea of a secluded nook.

Write the left radical 阝 first as a vertical line then a sharp hook, followed by the right part 取. Be careful: in 取, the top component 耳 (ear) has its last horizontal stroke crossing the long vertical, and the bottom 又 must be placed squarely beneath. A common mistake is making the left 阝 too wide; it should be narrow to balance the right side.

While 陬 has the radical 阝 (on the left, meaning place), 邾 also has 阝 but on the right, and it was the name of an ancient state—it never means 'corner.' 郁 has a different radical (鬯 or 阝 on the right) and means 'lush' or 'gloomy,' not a location. Visually, 陬 contains 取, 邾 contains 朱, and 郁 contains 有 or 冖 with 林, so the inner parts are completely different.

陬 is very rare in daily conversation and appears mostly in literary or classical texts. The word 孟陬 (mèng zōu) refers to the first month of the lunar year, derived from ancient calendar names. You may also see it in place names or poetry to evoke a remote, quiet corner, but it is not taught in HSK levels.

Common words containing 陬 include: 陬隅 (zōu yú) — corner or nook; 孟陬 (mèng zōu) — the first month of the lunar year; 远陬 (yuǎn zōu) — remote corner.