How to Write 蠲 (juān) — Meaning “To remit / To remove / To clean”

Imagine a net (罒) catching all the insects (虫), then removing bones (冎) and flesh (月) to clean a place completely. This picture of thorough removal helps associate the character with exemption or elimination.

Write the left radical 虫 first (6 strokes), then the right part: start with 罒 (net, 5 strokes), then 冎 (bone, 6 strokes), and finally 月 (moon, 4 strokes) — total 23 strokes. A common mistake is to confuse the order of 冎 and 月, so remember: net, then bone, then flesh.

蠡 (lǐ) has 彖 (pig) under 虫, meaning a type of shell or worm, while 蠢 (chǔn) combines 春 (spring) with 虫, meaning stupid. Visually, 蠲 is more complex with its four-component right side, whereas the others have simpler lower parts.

蠲 is a formal character found in legal or administrative texts, such as 蠲免 (juān miǎn) meaning to exempt taxes or duties, and 蠲除 (juān chú) meaning to eliminate problems. It is rarely used in everyday conversation but appears in historical or official documents.

Common words containing 蠲 include: 蠲免 (juān miǎn) — To remit / To exempt from; 蠲除 (juān chú) — To eliminate / To get rid of; 蠲疾 (juān jí) — To cure a disease.