掖 meaning and stroke order
To tuck, to fold; to support
How to write 掖, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 5
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- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Meaning of 掖
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to tuck (into a pocket)
- to hide
- to conceal
- to support by the arm
- to help
- to promote
- at the side
- also pr. [yi4]
How 掖 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 夜 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 掖
掖 combines the hand radical 扌 with 夜 (yè, night), which gives the sound. Picture a hand tucking something away out of sight, as if hiding it in the dark of night.
In everyday speech 掖 (yē) means to tuck or stuff something into a pocket, a waistband, or a gap. It often appears with 塞 in 掖着 or 塞 phrases, and in the set phrase 藏着掖着 (cáng zhe yē zhe), to keep something hidden. Example: 他把钱掖在口袋里。(Tā bǎ qián yē zài kǒudai lǐ.) He tucked the money into his pocket.
Common mistake: Learners often write 腋 (yè, armpit) when they mean 掖. 腋 has the flesh radical 月, while 掖 has the hand radical 扌 because it is an action you do with your hand.
Questions about 掖
How many strokes are in 掖?
掖 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 掖 mean?
掖 (yē) means to tuck, to fold; to support.
How do you pronounce 掖?
掖 is pronounced yē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 掖?
The radical of 掖 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 掖 under this radical.
When is 掖 read yè instead of yē?
The yè reading is literary and appears in words meaning to support or promote someone, such as 奖掖 (jiǎngyè, to encourage and promote) and 扶掖 (fúyè, to support by the arm). For the everyday meaning of tucking something in, use yē.
What does 藏着掖着 mean?
藏着掖着 (cáng zhe yē zhe) means to hide things or not be open about something. People say 别藏着掖着 (bié cáng zhe yē zhe) to mean "don't hold back, just say it."