How to Write 巛 (chuān) — Meaning “River (ancient radical form)”

Picture the three strokes as three snakes swimming side by side in a river. The wavy lines remind you of water flowing, so every time you see 巛, think of a winding stream.

The stroke order is left to right: first the left stroke (a short curve), then the middle stroke (slightly longer curve), then the right stroke (curving outward). A common mistake is making the strokes too straight or uneven — they should be gentle, flowing curves like water.

Common expressions include 巛部 (chuān bù) meaning 'the Chuan radical', 巛川 (chuān chuān) referring to ancient script for 'river', and 巛流 (chuān liú) meaning 'flowing water' or 'stream'. These are mostly used in linguistic or historical contexts about Chinese characters.

巛 is rarely used alone today; it appears mainly as a radical in other characters related to rivers or flowing, like 州 (zhōu, 'prefecture') which originally depicted a river with sandbars. In Chinese culture, rivers symbolize life and continuity, so this radical carries deep historical and philosophical significance.

Common words containing 巛 include: 巛部 (chuān bù) — The 'Chuan' radical; 巛川 (chuān chuān) — Ancient script for 'river'; 巛流 (chuān liú) — Flowing water / Stream.