How to Write 凯 (kǎi) — Meaning “Triumphant; victorious”

Imagine a small table (几) placed at a victory (凯) celebration, where everyone is so happy they sing a song of triumph. The left part 岂 looks like a person raising their arms in joy, reinforcing the idea of being victorious.

Write the left part 岂 first: start with the top horizontal stroke, then the left vertical, then the fold (like 山 but with a hook), and finish with the inner vertical. The right part 几 is simpler: a left-falling stroke then a hook ending with a dot-like upward flick. A common mistake is making left part too wide; keep it narrow so the whole character is balanced.

凯 (kǎi) means 'triumphant' and has 几 on the right, while 凫 (fú) means 'wild duck' and has a similar left part but with 鸟 (bird) on the right. 凭 (píng) means 'to rely on' and has the radical 任 on the left (a person) with 几 on the right, so it looks like a person leaning on a table.

凯 appears in words like 凯旋 (kǎi xuán, return in triumph) and 凯歌 (kǎi gē, victory song). The famous 凯旋门 (Triumphal Arch) in Paris is translated as such, though China also has its own 凯旋门 structures. In daily use, 凯 is often part of names, like the Chinese singer 凯丽 (Kaili), because it conveys success and honor.

Common words containing 凯 include: 凯旋 (kǎi xuán) — To return in triumph; 凯歌 (kǎi gē) — Song of victory; 凯旋门 (kǎi xuán mén) — Triumphal arch.