How to Write 坌 (bèn) — Meaning “Dust / To gather”

Picture a pile of earth (土) being divided (分) into tiny particles that fly away as dust. The shape of 坌 looks like a mound of soil splitting apart, helping you recall its meaning of dust or loose soil.

Write the top radical 土 with the horizontal stroke longer than the bottom one to balance the character. The bottom component 分 must be centered under 土, with its 八 (eight) strokes open wide and the 刀 (knife) stroke slicing upward.

坌 has 土 on top and 分 below, meaning dust or to gather. 圣 (shèng) has 又 (hand) on top and 土 below, meaning holy or sage. 圤 (pú) is rare, with 卜 inside 囗, meaning a block of earth or a grave mound.

坌 is very rare in everyday speech and mostly appears in classical or literary contexts. It is used in words like 坌土 (loose soil) and 坌集 (to swarm), so you might encounter it in historical texts or descriptions of crowded gatherings.

Common words containing 坌 include: 坌土 (bèn tǔ) — Loose soil / Dust; 坌集 (bèn jí) — To swarm / To gather in large numbers; 坌息 (bèn xī) — To gather and rest.