How to Write 盖 (gài/gě) — Meaning “cover / lid / to cover”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 盖?

Imagine a sheep (羊) sitting on top of a bowl (皿) to keep its food covered. This silly picture helps you remember that 盖 means a lid or to cover something. The sheep acts as the cover on the bowl.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 盖?

The top part 羊 has six strokes: dot, left-falling, then three horizontals, and a vertical. Do not miss the third horizontal stroke; the vertical should align with the center of the bottom 皿. Keep the 皿 slightly wider than the top to balance the character.

Q: How is 盖 different from the similar characters 㿽 and 盅?

㿽 is a rare character meaning a type of vessel, but 盖 is common for "lid" or "cover." 盅 (zhōng) means a small cup and has the top part 中 (middle) instead of 羊. So you can tell them apart by the top component and by meaning: 盖 covers, 盅 holds drink.

Q: When and how is 盖 used in modern Chinese?

盖 is used as a noun for a lid (盖子) and as a verb meaning to cover or to build a roof (盖房子). It also appears in the word 覆盖 (fùgài) meaning "to cover" or "coverage." A cultural note: 盖 used in idioms like 盖世英雄 means a hero whose fame covers the world.

Q: What common words use 盖?

Common words containing 盖 include: 盖子 (gài zi) — lid / cover / cap; 覆盖 (fù gài) — To cover / Coverage; 姓盖 (xìng gài) — Surnamed Ge..

gài/gě HSK Level 4 11 strokes Radical: 皿

盖 (gài/gě) means "cover / lid / to cover" in Chinese. It has 11 strokes with the radical 皿, and is HSK Level 4.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 81% of HSK Level 4 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 盖子 (gài zi), 覆盖 (fù gài), 姓盖 (xìng gài).

Due to its 11 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 盖 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 盖 (gài/gě)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 盖 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 盖

The character 盖 (gài/gě) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 皿 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does gài/gě (盖) Mean in Chinese?

盖 means cover / lid / to cover.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: gài, gě.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 盖 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	盖
Pinyin	gài / gě (gai/ge)
Meaning	cover / lid / to cover
Strokes	11
Radical	皿
HSK Level	4
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 盖

盖 combines the grass radical (艹) over the vessel radical (皿), suggesting a lid made of plant material covering a container. The original compound 盍 (now obsolete) depicted a lid over a vessel, and the grass component was added later to reinforce the idea of a natural cover.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a grass mat (艹) placed over a bowl (皿) to cover it.

Common Words with 盖

盖子 gài zi

lid / cover / cap

覆盖 fù gài

To cover / Coverage

姓盖 xìng gài

Surnamed Ge.

盖先生 gě xiān sheng

Mr. Gai (pronounced Gěi).

Example Sentences

请把锅盖子盖好，这样菜热得比较快。

qǐng bǎ guō gài zi gài hǎo zhè yàng cài rè dé bǐ jiào kuài

Please cover the pot so the food heats up faster.

冬天的原野被厚厚的白雪全面覆盖了。

dōng tiān de yuán yě bèi hòu hòu de bái xuě quán miàn fù gài le

The winter fields are completely covered by thick white snow.

那位姓盖的教练在举重界非常有声望。

nà wèi xìng gài de jiào liàn zài jǔ zhòng jiè fēi cháng yǒu shēng wàng 。

The coach named Gai is very prestigious in the weightlifting world.

盖先生是我们村的医生。

gě xiān sheng shì wǒ men cūn de yī shēng

Mr. Gai is the doctor in our village.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
盖 (current)	gài / gě	11	皿
㿽	xī	9	皿
盅	zhōng	9	皿
盆	pén	9	皿

Practice Writing 盖 (gài/gě)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 盖 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 盖

What are the components of 盖 and how do they relate to its meaning?

盖 is made of 羊 (sheep) on top and 皿 (container) below. The 皿 represents a bowl or vessel, and the 羊 on top suggests something covering it, like a lid. This structure directly relates to the character's meaning of "cover" or "lid."

What is a good memory trick to remember 盖?

What should I watch out for when writing 盖?

How is 盖 different from the similar characters 㿽 and 盅?

When and how is 盖 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 盖?

How to Write 盖 (gài/gě) — Meaning “cover / lid / to cover”

Practice Writing 盖 (gài/gě)

How to Write 盖

What Does gài/gě (盖) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 盖

Common Words with 盖

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 盖 (gài/gě)

Frequently Asked Questions about 盖

More HSK Level 4 Characters

Characters with Radical 皿

Other 11-Stroke Characters