How to Write 佳 (jiā) — Meaning “Good / Fine”

Imagine a person (亻) holding a piece of jade (圭), which is considered the finest stone. This visual of a 'person with jade' helps you recall that 佳 means 'good' or 'fine.' The jade symbolizes high quality, just like the character's meaning.

Write the left radical 亻 first with a short left-falling stroke followed by a vertical stroke; then the right part 圭 starts with a horizontal stroke at the top. The right part consists of two stacked 土, each with a vertical line through the center, so keep the two vertical strokes aligned. A common mistake is making the right part too wide – it should be slightly narrower than the left radical.

佳 (jiā) means 'good' and uses 圭 on the right, while 仰 (yǎng) means 'to look up' and has 卬 on the right. 仲 (zhòng) means 'middle' or 'second' and has 中 on the right. Visually, the right parts are clearly different: 圭 has two stacked soil radicals, 卬 looks like a kneeling person, and 中 is a box with a line through it.

佳 appears in common words like 最佳 (zuì jiā, 'best'), 佳节 (jiā jié, 'festival'), and 佳人 (jiā rén, 'beautiful woman'). It is used in formal or positive contexts, often to describe something excellent or a special occasion, such as in greetings like 中秋佳节 (Mid-Autumn Festival). The character carries a cultured and appreciative tone.

Common words containing 佳 include: 最佳 (zuì jiā) — Best / optimal; 佳节 (jiā jié) — Festival; 佳人 (jiā rén) — Beautiful woman.