How to Write 朵 (duǒ) — Meaning “measure word for flowers or clouds”

Imagine a tree (木) with a small table (几) on top, and on the table there is a beautiful flower. This visual helps you remember that 朵 is the measure word for flowers. You can also picture the table as a fluffy cloud resting on the tree.

Write 朵 in 6 strokes: first the top 几 (left-falling stroke then horizontal bend hook), then the bottom 木 (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling). A common mistake is making the top 几 too wide — keep it narrow so the character looks balanced. The bottom 木 should be centered below the top.

Compare 朵 with 木 (tree) and 未 (not yet). 木 is just the bottom part without the top, so it means tree or wood. 未 has two horizontal strokes at the top instead of 几, and it means 'not yet'. Visually, 朵 has a curved top (几), while 未 has two straight horizontal lines.

You use 朵 as a measure word for flowers (一朵花) and clouds (一朵云). It is also part of common words like 花朵 (flower/blossom) and 云朵 (cloud). In Chinese culture, flowers and clouds are often associated with beauty and nature, so 朵 appears in many poetic descriptions.

Common words containing 朵 include: 耳朵 (ěr duǒ) — ear; 花朵 (huā duǒ) — Flower / Blossom; 云朵 (yún duǒ) — Cloud..