How to Write 麸 (fū) — Meaning “bran”

Think of a husband (夫) eating wheat (麦) but only eating the soft part and leaving behind the hard outer shell — that leftover is bran. The image of a husband picking out the bran helps connect the sound fū and the meaning.

Pay attention to the left radical 麦: it has a dot (丶) near the top, and the bottom of 麦 has a small curved stroke (乚) that should not be confused with a hook. The right side 夫 has a horizontal stroke that goes through the two vertical lines, and the overall character should be balanced with the left side slightly wider.

Common words include 麸质 (fū zhì, gluten) — the protein found in wheat, 麦麸 (mài fū, wheat bran) — the outer layer of wheat, and 麸皮 (fū pí, bran) — another term for the same thing. These are used in cooking, nutrition, and food labels, especially when discussing whole grains or gluten-free diets.

麸 is not a very common daily character, but it appears in food science, health, and agriculture contexts — for example, in descriptions of whole-grain products or animal feed. It is also important for people with gluten allergies who need to avoid 麸质 (gluten) in their diet.

Common words containing 麸 include: 麸质 (fū zhì) — gluten; 麦麸 (mài fū) — Wheat bran; 麸皮 (fū pí) — bran.