How to Write 节 (jiē/jié) — Meaning “Festival / Section”

Imagine grass (艹) growing in sections, with each section representing a different festival during the year. You can also picture a person kneeling (like the bottom shape) to celebrate a festival under the grass. This visual helps link the character to both 'festival' and 'section'.

Write the top 艹 first: horizontal stroke, then two vertical strokes. Then draw the bottom: a horizontal hook (like a sideways J) followed by a final vertical stroke. Keep the top narrow and the bottom wider, and don't make the hook too long—common mistake is writing the bottom like the number '7'.

节 is different from 艹 because 艹 is just the grass radical (usually a component), while 节 is a full character. Compared to 艺 (yì, art), 节 has a bottom part that ends with a vertical line after the hook, whereas 艺 has a curved hook without a vertical line. Also, 节 means 'festival' or 'section', while 艺 means 'art' or 'skill'.

节 is common in words like 节日 (festival), 节目 (TV show), and 节省 (to save). Culturally, it appears in names of major holidays like 春节 (Chinese New Year) and 中秋节 (Mid-Autumn Festival). You also see it in books for 'chapter' (章节) or in 'section' (段落) of text.

Common words containing 节 include: 节日 (jié rì) — Festival / Holiday; 节目 (jié mù) — Program / Show; 节省 (jié shěng) — To save / To economize.