How to Write 髻 (jì) — Meaning “hair bun; topknot”

Imagine "hair" (髟) that is "lucky" (吉) when tied into a neat bun on your head. The top part 髟 looks like flowing hair, and 吉 suggests a good hairstyle that keeps hair tidy.

Start with the top radical 髟: write the three horizontal strokes first, then the curved stroke, and finally the three downward strokes (like 彡). Then write 吉 below — pay attention to keeping the upper 士 (three strokes) and lower 口 balanced; a common mistake is making the bottom too wide or forgetting the vertical stroke in 士.

髻 means a hair bun or topknot that is coiled up, while 髦 refers to the fringe of hair on the forehead (bangs) or something fashionable. 髫 describes a child's hair that hangs down loose, not tied up like a bun. Visually, 髻 has 吉 underneath, 髦 has 毛 (hair), and 髫 has 召 (to summon).

髻 appears in words like 发髻 (fà jì) for a hair bun or chignon, often seen in traditional Chinese hairstyles such as those of ancient women or in martial arts films. It is also used in 盘髻 (pán jì) to describe the act of twisting hair into a bun, a common practice for formal occasions or for keeping hair neat.

Common words containing 髻 include: 发髻 (fà jì) — hair bun; chignon; 盘髻 (pán jì) — to coil hair into a bun; 梳髻 (shū jì) — to put hair in a bun.