How to Write 蒈 (kǎi) — Meaning “carene (chemical compound)”

Imagine a grass plant (艹) growing on top of a key (凯 sounds like "key"). This key is made of a chemical called carene. The strange image of a grass-topped chemical key helps you recall both the character and its scientific meaning.

Start with the grass radical 艹 (four strokes: horizontal, vertical, vertical, horizontal). Then write the bottom part 凯, which has a left side similar to 岂 (three horizontals and two verticals) and a right side 几 (two strokes, no hook). A common mistake is making the 几 part look like 风 by adding a hook.

Although all three have the grass radical, their lower parts are different. 蒈 uses 凯 (kǎi) and means a chemical compound, while 荷 (hé) uses 何 and means "lotus." 荸 (bí) uses 孛 and means "water chestnut." Visually, 蒈's bottom is more complex with a left-right structure, unlike the simpler shapes of 荷 and 荸.

蒈 is used only in scientific chemistry to name compounds like 蒈烯 (carene), 蒈烷 (carane), and 蒈酮 (carone). It does not appear in everyday conversation, literature, or HSK vocabulary. You will only encounter it in organic chemistry textbooks or specialized research articles.

Common words containing 蒈 include: 蒈烯 (kǎi xī) — carene; 蒈烷 (kǎi wán) — carane; 蒈酮 (kǎi tóng) — carone.