How to Write 圭 (guī) — Meaning “Jade tablet (ancient ceremonial vessel)”

Visualize two layers of soil (土) piled up to form a small tablet shape. Think of an ancient ruler placing a jade tablet on top of these two earthy layers during a ceremony, linking the image to its meaning.

Write the top 土 first with three strokes (horizontal, vertical, horizontal), then the bottom 土 also with three strokes. Ensure the vertical stroke of the top part is slightly shorter than the bottom vertical to avoid making the character look too boxy. A common mistake is misaligning the two 土 parts so they are not vertically centered.

圭 has two 土 stacked vertically, while 圣 (meaning 'holy' in simplified Chinese) has 又 (hand) above 土. 圤 is rare and consists of 土 inside a box-like enclosure (囗), unlike 圭's open vertical stacking. Focus on the number and arrangement of 土 components.

圭 appears mainly in compound words like 圭臬 (criterion or standard) and 圭角 (rough edges or prominence). It is also used in 土圭 (an ancient gnomon for astronomy). Though not common in daily speech, it carries a formal or historical tone in literary or technical contexts.

Common words containing 圭 include: 圭臬 (guī niè) — Criterion; standard; benchmark; 圭角 (guī jiǎo) — Sharp corner; prominence; rough edges; 土圭 (tǔ guī) — Gnomon (ancient astronomical instrument).