How to Write 冁 (chǎn) — Meaning “smile (literary)”

Imagine a person showing their teeth (齿) in a big grin at sunrise — the right part 辰 looks like a combination of 厂 (cliff) and 辰 (morning). Picture the morning sun making someone break into a broad smile, and you will remember 冁 means 'to smile broadly in a literary sense'.

Write the left radical 齿 first with its five strokes, then the right part 辰 with seven strokes (total 18). Keep the left side slightly narrower than the right, and ensure the bottom of 辰 is not too tall — the 齿 radical should extend down to roughly the same level as the final stroke of 辰. A common mistake is making the teeth radical too wide, which spoils the balance.

冁 (chǎn) means 'to smile' and is always connected with a happy expression, while 龋 (qǔ) refers to a hollow cavity, especially a dental cavity (tooth decay). 龌 (wò) means 'dirty' or 'narrow-minded'. Visually, 冁 has the right side 辰, whereas 龋 has 禹 (a mythological creature) and 龌 has 屋 (house) — so the lower-right parts are completely different.

冁 is a literary, classical word rarely used in everyday speech; you will mainly encounter it in written form, such as in poetry, classical texts, or elegant descriptions. The common phrases are 冁然 (chǎn rán, smilingly) and 冁然一笑 (chǎn rán yī xiào, to break into a smile). It carries a refined, almost old-fashioned feel, so it is not suitable for casual conversation.

Common words containing 冁 include: 冁然 (chǎn rán) — smilingly; 冁笑 (chǎn xiào) — smile broadly; 冁然一笑 (chǎn rán yī xiào) — break into a smile.