How to Write 韭 (jiǔ) — Meaning “leek; Chinese chives”

Picture the character 韭 as a small garden patch: the two vertical lines are the chive stalks, and the four short horizontal lines are the leaves growing out to the sides. You can also remember that it has 9 strokes, and the word for "nine" is jiǔ, which sounds exactly like the pinyin for this character.

The character is symmetrical, so keep the left and right sides balanced. Start with the left vertical stroke, then write the three horizontal strokes on the left from top to bottom, then do the same for the right side. A common mistake is making the horizontals too long or unevenly spaced; they should be short and evenly distributed.

The most common word is 韭菜 (jiǔ cài), which means Chinese chives, a popular vegetable in dumplings and stir-fries. 韭菜花 (jiǔ cài huā) refers to the flower buds used as a seasoning, and 韭菜饼 (jiǔ cài bǐng) is a savory chive pancake often sold as street food. These terms all appear in everyday cooking and restaurant menus.

This character is used almost exclusively in food-related words, especially for Chinese chives and dishes made with them. It is not found in abstract or formal language. Culturally, chives are associated with spring and are thought to have health benefits, such as improving appetite and circulation.

Common words containing 韭 include: 韭菜 (jiǔ cài) — Chinese chives; 韭菜花 (jiǔ cài huā) — chive flowers; 韭菜饼 (jiǔ cài bǐng) — chive pancake.