兀 wù pedestal
weak
How it came to be
A standing figure with a flat line drawn where the head should be: levelled off, and so bare and high. The line is the whole character; take it away and only the legs are left.
How it is used
- Mostly seen in 突兀 (tūwù): abrupt/jarring, or a sudden rise sticking up - 结尾很突兀 the ending felt abrupt.
- Suggests something protruding or coming out of nowhere, out of keeping with its surroundings.
- Rare as a standalone character in modern Chinese.