How to Write 奠 (diàn) — Meaning “to establish; to offer libations”

Imagine a big (大) bottle of wine (酋) being poured out as an offering to establish a foundation. This visual of a large wine vessel used in ceremonies helps link the shape to both 'offering libations' and 'establishing' something important.

Yes, the top part 酋 has a complex stroke order: start with the left side like 丷, then the mid bar, then the bottom vessel shape, totaling nine strokes. A common mistake is making the top too tall or forgetting the short horizontal line inside the 'wine vessel' part, so pay attention to proportions between the top and bottom 大.

Unlike 套 (tào, meaning cover or suit), which has a top component 耂 and bottom 厶, 奠 has a clear wine vessel shape on top. 奘 (zàng, meaning great or fast) uses 壮 (strong) with 大 on top, while 奠 always connects to rituals or establishing, not physical size. Visually, 奠 has the 酋 component, while 套 has a different top and 奘 changes the bottom to 大.

奠 appears in formal words like 奠定 (to establish a foundation) and 祭奠 (to commemorate the dead with offerings), often in serious or ceremonial contexts. Culturally, it reflects traditional Chinese practices of pouring libations as sacrifices, so you’ll see it in news about groundbreaking ceremonies (奠基) or memorial events.

Common words containing 奠 include: 奠定 (diàn dìng) — to establish; to settle; to lay; 祭奠 (jì diàn) — To offer sacrifices to the dead; to commemorate; 奠基 (diàn jī) — to lay a foundation.