How to Write 邗 (hán) — Meaning “Han (ancient place name)”

Picture a dry (干) riverbed where an ancient walled city (阝) once existed. The character looks like a city marker standing next to a dry area, reminding you that 邗 refers to an old place name.

Write the left radical 阝 first (two strokes: horizontal fold then vertical), then the right part 干 (three strokes: horizontal, horizontal, vertical). Keep the radical narrow and the right side slightly wider, and do not let the vertical stroke of 干 extend below the radical's bottom.

邗 has the right component 干 (gān), while 邓 has 又 (yòu) and 邘 has 于 (yú). Visually, the right sides are distinct. In meaning, 邗 is an ancient place name, 邓 is a common surname, and 邘 is also an ancient place, so they are not interchangeable.

邗 appears mainly in historical and geographical names such as 邗江 (a district in Yangzhou) and 邗沟 (the Han Canal, an ancient waterway). It is not used in everyday conversation, but it is important for understanding Chinese history and visiting places in Jiangsu.

Common words containing 邗 include: 邗江 (hán jiāng) — Hanjiang (a district in Yangzhou); 邗沟 (hán gōu) — Han Canal (ancient canal); 邗城 (hán chéng) — Hancheng (ancient city).