How to Write 桔 (jié/jú) — Meaning “Tangerine / Orange”

Think of a tangerine tree (木) bearing fruit that brings good luck (吉). Visualize a bright orange tangerine with the lucky symbol 吉 growing on a tree branch, and remember that the fruit's name starts with 'j' like 桔.

The left radical 木 should be written narrower than the right part 吉. The horizontal stroke in 木 is short and ends before touching the right part. The top 士 in 吉 has a longer top horizontal line, and the bottom 口 is centered, not too wide.

桔 has 木 on the left and 吉 on the right, meaning tangerine. 杪 has 木 and 少, meaning treetop or tip of a branch — the right part is smaller. 杭 has 木 and 亢, meaning a boat or the city Hangzhou — the right part has a different top shape (亠 instead of 士).

桔 is most commonly used in 桔子 (jú zi) for the fruit tangerine or mandarin orange, and 桔汁 (jú zhī) for orange juice. In China, tangerines are associated with good luck and are often given during Chinese New Year for their sweet taste and golden color symbolizing wealth.

Common words containing 桔 include: 桔子 (jú zi) — Tangerine / Orange; 桔汁 (jú zhī) — Orange juice; 桔梗 (jié gěng) — Balloon flower / Platycodon root.