揉 (róu) is a Chinese character meaning “to rub”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 柔 (soft; gentle), side by side, and takes 12 strokes.
Build the character for “to rub; to knead”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
扌 + 柔
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分：IDS ⿰扌柔，hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（扌 3 画 + 柔 9 画 = 12 画）；扌表手部动作，柔 与 揉 现代读音同为 róu（exact）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) works something until it becomes soft (柔) — that is kneading. This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
12 strokes
In real words
- 揉搓róu cuōto rub; to knead揉 = róu
- 揉面róu miànto knead dough揉 = róu
Go deeper
All readings
to rub; to knead
to rub; to knead; to massage
用手来回搓、按或团弄。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 揉搓róu cuōto rub; to knead揉 = róu
- 揉面róu miànto knead dough揉 = róu
Sound component
柔 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 揉 mean?
揉 (róu) means to rub; to knead; to massage.
How do you pronounce 揉?
It is pronounced róu.
What parts is 揉 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 柔 (soft; gentle), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分：IDS ⿰扌柔，hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（扌 3 画 + 柔 9 画 = 12 画）；扌表手部动作，柔 与 揉 现代读音同为 róu（exact）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 揉 have?
12. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 揉?
扌. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 揉?
Common ones are 揉搓 and 揉面. The reading of 揉 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.