禸

marks the lower body — trunk · Kangxi radical 114

marks the lower body — trunk, legs and curling tail — of a character that pictures a whole animal or creature

Traditionally 禸 is explained as an animal's rump or the print its paws leave, but on its own the graph is not clearly attested and its origin is uncertain. What is clear is how it behaves: in 禹, 禺 and 离 the old forms drew a complete beast, and 禸 is the leftover bottom half of that drawing — the hooked stroke is the curved back and tail, and the small 厶 inside sits where the legs or claws were. So when you see 禸 under a character, read it as the back end of a creature whose head has been simplified into whatever sits above it.

禸 at a glance

Meaning

marks the lower body — trunk

Strokes

5

Characters

4

Kangxi radical

114

Characters with 禸 (3 of 4)

Frequently asked questions