How to Write 盎 (àng) — Meaning “pot / bowl / abundant”

Imagine a pot (皿) sitting right in the center (央) of a table, completely filled with soup. This picture of a full central vessel helps you recall that 盎 means "abundant" or "overflowing."

Make sure the top part 央 is narrow and centered, while the bottom 皿 is wider and balanced. A common mistake is making the 央 too wide or crossing its last stroke into the 皿 below.

Visually, 盎 has 央 (center) on top, while 盂 has 于 (yú, a phonetic component) on top. In meaning, 盂 specifically refers to a type of bowl, while 盎 can mean a pot or describe abundance, like in the word 盎然 (àng rán).

盎 is most often seen in the literary expression 盎然, meaning "overflowing" or "full of," such as 春意盎然 (spring is in the air). It is rarely used alone in daily conversation and appears mainly in written or formal contexts.

Common words containing 盎 include: 盎然 (àng rán) — overflowing / abundant / full of; 盎盂 (àng yú) — pots and bowls / earthenware; 盎中 (àng zhōng) — inside the pot.