How to Write 帆 (fān) — Meaning “sail”

Imagine a piece of cloth (巾) catching the wind to become a sail. The right side 凡 sounds like 'fan' — think of a fan blowing the cloth into a sail shape. This visual link helps you recall that 帆 means 'sail'.

Write the left radical 巾 first: vertical stroke, horizontal hook, then vertical stroke. Then write 凡: left-falling stroke, horizontal curved hook, and a dot at the end. A common mistake is making the hook of 凡 too long or forgetting the final dot, which changes the character.

帆 has two clear parts: 巾 on the left and 凡 on the right. 巿 (fú) is a single character with a horizontal line above 巾, meaning a cloth covering. 帀 (zā) is an ancient character not used today. The key difference is that 帆 is a side-by-side combination, while the others are compact structures.

帆 appears in words like 帆船 (sailboat) and 帆布 (canvas). The idiom 一帆风顺 (smooth sailing) is frequently used to wish someone success in a new journey or project. It reflects the cultural idea of a ship with full sails moving forward without obstacles.

Common words containing 帆 include: 帆船 (fān chuán) — sailboat; sailing ship; 一帆风顺 (yī fān fēng shùn) — smooth sailing; everything going smoothly; 帆布 (fān bù) — canvas.