How to Write 缏 (biàn) — Meaning “braid / to braid”

Imagine a piece of silk (纟) being pressed flat (扁) and twisted into a braid. The picture of a flat ribbon or hair braid can help you link the shape and meaning. Think of "flat silk" becoming a braid.

Write the left radical 纟 first (three strokes: ㇀, ㇁, ㇀), then the right part 扁 (nine strokes: start with 户, then 冂, then inside ㇉ and two 丨). A common mistake is making the right side too narrow or forgetting the horizontal line inside 扁. Keep the overall character balanced with the left side slightly narrower.

绠 (gěng) means a thick rope or cable, while 绡 (xiāo) means raw silk or a thin silk fabric. All three share the silk radical 纟, but their right parts differ: 缏 uses 扁 (flat), 绠 uses 更 (change), and 绡 uses 肖 (resemble). Their meanings are distinct — 缏 is specifically about braiding, not general rope or fabric.

缏 is most commonly used in words like 发缏 (hair braid) and 缏子 (a braid or plait). It also appears in 草缏 for straw braids, which are traditionally used to weave hats. In modern daily life, you might hear it when talking about hairstyles or handcrafted straw items.

Common words containing 缏 include: 发缏 (fā biàn) — hair braid; plait; 缏子 (biàn zi) — braid / plait; 草缏 (cǎo biàn) — Straw braid (for making hats)..