How to Write 豆 (dòu) — Meaning “bean; pea”

Imagine a small pod with three round beans inside — the top horizontal line is the stem, the middle '口' is the pod body, and the bottom two strokes represent the beans at the bottom. This visual of a bean pod helps you recall the shape and meaning of 豆.

Write the horizontal stroke on top first, then the middle '口' (which should be slightly narrow), and finally the two bottom strokes: a left-falling dot and a right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the top horizontal too long — keep it shorter than the width of the '口' below.

豆腐 (dòu fǔ) means 'tofu' and is a staple food in Chinese cuisine, often eaten in soups or stir-fries. 红豆 (hóng dòu) refers to 'red beans' used in sweet desserts like red bean soup, and 豆浆 (dòu jiāng) is 'soy milk', a popular breakfast drink.

豆 appears in names of many food items and is central to Chinese vegetarian cooking, especially in dishes like mapo tofu. Culturally, beans symbolize fertility and abundance, and red beans (红豆) are often associated with love and longing in Chinese poetry and folklore.

Common words containing 豆 include: 豆腐 (dòu fǔ) — tofu; bean curd; 红豆 (hóng dòu) — Red bean; 豆浆 (dòu jiāng) — soy milk.