虏 (lǔ) is a Chinese character meaning “to capture”. It is written from 虍 (tiger top (radical)) and 力 (strength; power), one enclosing the other, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “to capture; a captive”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
虍 + 力
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-5 虍 / 6-7 力）
Memory aid
A tiger's head (虍) bends over the strength (力) beneath it — the fighter's power is pinned down, and he becomes a captive.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 俘虏fú lǔprisoner of war; captive; to take prisoner虏 = lǔ
- 虏获lǔ huòto capture (enemy troops or equipment)虏 = lǔ
Go deeper
All readings
captive
to capture; to take prisoner; a captive, prisoner of war
打仗时捉住敌人；被捉住的敌人。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 俘虏fú lǔprisoner of war; captive; to take prisoner虏 = lǔ
- 虏获lǔ huòto capture (enemy troops or equipment)虏 = lǔ
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 虏 mean?
虏 (lǔ) means to capture; to take prisoner; a captive, prisoner of war.
How do you pronounce 虏?
It is pronounced lǔ.
What parts is 虏 made of?
虍 (tiger top (radical)) and 力 (strength; power), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 现代简化字形拆分（hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：0-5 虍 / 6-7 力）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 虏 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 虏?
虍. 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 虏?
Common ones are 俘虏 and 虏获. The reading of 虏 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.