How to Write 桧 (guì) — Meaning “Chinese juniper”

Imagine a large tree (木) where people gather for a meeting (会), because juniper trees are often planted in courtyards. The picture of a tree as a meeting place helps link the two parts. Just remember: a tree that hosts a meeting is a juniper.

Write the left radical 木 first, making it narrow with a straight vertical stroke. Then write the right side 会: start with the top 人 (left-falling then right-falling), then 二 (two horizontals), and finally bottom 厶 (a diagonal fold and a dot). A common mistake is making the right side too wide or misplacing the dot at the bottom.

桧 has the right component 会 (which includes a 人 on top), while 杪 has 少 (few) on the right, meaning a small tree tip. 杭 has 亢 (tall) on the right, and is used in place names like Hangzhou. Visually, 桧 has more strokes and a distinct "meeting" shape on the right.

桧 is used in tree names such as 桧树 (guì shù, Chinese juniper) and 桧木 (guì mù, cypress wood). It is also part of the name 秦桧 (Qín Huì), a historical figure from the Song dynasty known as a traitor. Because of this association, the character can carry a negative cultural connotation in some contexts.

Common words containing 桧 include: 桧树 (guì shù) — Chinese juniper tree; 桧木 (guì mù) — Cypress wood / Hinoki; 秦桧 (qín guì) — Qin Hui (historical figure).