How to Write 茺 (chōng) — Meaning “motherwort (often used in Chinese medicine)”

Picture a field of motherwort grass (艹) that is so "full" or "abundant" (充) that it overflows with seeds for medicine. The visual of a crowded, healthy herb can help link the parts to the plant's name.

Pay attention to the balance between the top grass radical and the bottom 充. The 艹 should be wide enough to cover 充, and the bottom part must not be too tall—the vertical stroke of 充 should align with the center. A common mistake is making the lower 充 too narrow or tilting the horizontal strokes.

茺 (chōng) has the grass radical on top and 充 below, while 兹 (zī or cí) has two 玄 stacked with an additional grass component. 芈 (mǐ) is a different radical (羊 without the horizontal stroke) and is an ancient surname. Visually, 茺 looks like a plant with a full lower part, unlike the symmetrical 兹 or the simpler 芈.

茺 is a specialized character mostly found in traditional Chinese medicine texts, referring to the motherwort plant (益母草). It appears in terms like 茺蔚 (chōng wèi, motherwort) and 茺蔚子 (chōng wèi zǐ, motherwort seeds), which are used in herbal remedies. You are unlikely to encounter it in daily conversation, but it is important for studying medicinal herbs.

Common words containing 茺 include: 茺蔚子 (chōng wèi zi) — motherwort seed; 茺蔚 (chōng wèi) — motherwort; 益母茺蔚 (yì mǔ chōng wèi) — motherwort (Leonurus japonicus).