How to Write 坟 (fén) — Meaning “grave / tomb”

Imagine a grave (坟) with a mound of soil (土) and a tombstone that has text (文) written on it. The idea of writing on earth helps you remember both the shape and the meaning.

Write the left radical 土 first with three strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal. Then write the right part 文 with four strokes: dot, horizontal, left-falling, right-falling. A common mistake is making the right part too wide; keep it balanced and slightly narrower than the left.

坟 has 土 on the left and 文 on the right, while 圣 (shèng, holy) has 又 on top and 土 on the bottom. The rare character 圤 has 卜 (divination) instead of 文, so it looks like 土 on the left and 卜 on the right.

坟 is used for "grave" or "tomb" in words like 坟墓 (fén mù, grave) and 上坟 (shàng fén, to visit a grave). Visiting graves during Qingming Festival is a common cultural practice to honor ancestors.

Common words containing 坟 include: 上坟 (shàng fén) — To visit a grave; to pay respects at a tomb; 坟墓 (fén mù) — grave / tomb; 坟地 (fén dì) — graveyard / cemetery.