How to Write 耕 (gēng) — Meaning “To plow; to till”

Picture a farmer pushing a plow (耒) across a field divided into square sections like the grid of a well (井). The shape of 井 looks like a tic-tac-toe board, reminding you of a plowed field with neat rows.

When writing, make sure the left radical 耒 is narrow and the right part 井 is balanced. The stroke order is: left radical first (horizontal, horizontal, vertical, left-falling), then the right 井 (horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, vertical). A common mistake is making the vertical stroke of 井 too short or slanted.

耕 means general plowing or tilling. 耔 (zǐ) means to hoe soil up around plant roots, often after sprouting. 耖 (chào) refers to a plow for leveling a field or the action of smoothing soil. Visually, 耕 has 井 on the right, 耔 has 子, and 耖 has 少.

耕 appears in words like 耕地 (arable land or to plow land) and 耕种 (to cultivate). It is common in agricultural and historical contexts. In Chinese culture, 春耕 (spring plowing) is an important seasonal tradition, often linked to festivals and poetry about farming life.

Common words containing 耕 include: 耕地 (gēng dì) — Arable land; to plow the land; 耕种 (gēng zhòng) — To cultivate; to farm; 春耕 (chūn gēng) — Spring plowing.