How to Write 枨 (chéng) — Meaning “doorpost; to touch”

Imagine a long wooden pole (木 + 长) that you use to gently touch or poke something. The shape of 长 looks like a person reaching out a hand, so picture a person touching a doorpost. This visual links the two meanings: doorpost and to touch.

Write the left radical 木 first in 4 strokes (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling), then write the right side 长 in 4 strokes (left-falling, horizontal, vertical hook, left-falling). Keep the overall width balanced; a common mistake is making the right side too wide or misplacing the final left-falling stroke of 长.

枨 (chéng) has 长 (long) on the right, while 朱 (zhū) has a horizontal line across the middle of 木, meaning "red". 朴 (pǔ) has 卜 (divination) on the right, meaning "plain" or "simple". Visually, the right side of 枨 is taller and has a hook, unlike the other two. Usage-wise, 朱 and 朴 are common, but 枨 is rare and literary.

枨 is not in everyday use; it appears mainly in classical literature or technical terms. Common words include 枨触 (chéng chù, to touch or stir up feelings) and 门枨 (mén chéng, door frame support). You might encounter it in poetry or architecture descriptions, but it is not needed for basic communication.

Common words containing 枨 include: 枨触 (chéng chù) — to touch; to stir up feelings; 门枨 (mén chéng) — Door frame support; 拨枨 (bō chéng) — to stir or poke (with a stick).