son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
the full form, 孑 and 孓 each omit/change a different final stroke
3 strokes · Radical: 子子 vs 孑 vs 孓: How to Tell Them Apart
CHARACTERS AT A GLANCE
子the full form, 孑 and 孓 each omit/change a different final stroke · zi · son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
孑jié · alone, lonely, solitary; remaining, left-over
孓jué · mosquito larva
01 · SEE THE DIFFERENCE
What changes at the bottom of each character?
Dark red marks the deciding detail
Play each character and compare the highlighted details.
Why the difference is easy to miss
子 and 孑 and 孓 share an outline that is easy to read too quickly.
The hook and final stroke direction are the key: 子 is the full form, 孑 and 孓 each omit/change a different final stroke. At a glance, that shared shape can make the lower hook/final stroke region easy to overlook.
Check the shape first, then confirm with the word.
If the surrounding word/meaning conflicts with the character you first recognized, re-check hook stroke.
Choose the right character.
Which character in 子 / 孑 / 孓 matches “offspring, child”?
Choose one answer.Which character completes □孓?
Choose one answer.Which character matches “beautiful”?
Choose one answer.How do I tell 子 vs 孑 vs 孓 apart?
The hook and final stroke direction are the key: 子 is the full form, 孑 and 孓 each omit/change a different final stroke. Then confirm with meaning/context: 子 (zi) — offspring, child | 孑 (jié) — remaining, left-over | 孓 (jué) — beautiful.
What should I check when these characters appear in words?
Use meaning as the second route after visual discrimination: 子 = offspring, child; 孑 = remaining, left-over; 孓 = beautiful. If the surrounding word/meaning conflicts with the character you first recognized, re-check hook stroke.