How to Write 奎 (kuí) — Meaning “Kui (one of the 28 mansions of Chinese astronomy)”

Imagine a big (大) star named Kui that shines on a jade tablet (圭) in the sky. The "big jade" image helps you recall that 奎 refers to a star mansion. You can also think of the word "quinine" (奎宁) to connect the sound kuí with a familiar term.

Write the top component 大 first (横, 撇, 捺), then add the 圭 below: two 'earth' 土 shapes stacked. A common mistake is making the 大 too wide or the 圭 too tall—keep them balanced so the character is roughly square. Ensure the final horizontal stroke of the bottom 土 is slightly longer for stability.

奎 (kuí) has 大 on top and 圭 below, meaning a star mansion. 奁 (lián) has 大 on top and 区 below, meaning a bridal case or cosmetic box. 奂 (huàn) has 大 on top and 夰 below (a variant), meaning grand or numerous. The key difference is the lower component: 圭 vs. 区 vs. 夰.

奎 is most common in the word 奎宁 (quinine), a medicine for malaria, and in names like 奎星 (the god of literature) or 奎屯 (a city in Xinjiang). Culturally, 奎星 is a star in Chinese astronomy associated with scholarship and exams—students may pray to it for academic success.

Common words containing 奎 include: 奎宁 (kuí níng) — quinine; 奎星 (kuí xīng) — Kui star (God of Literature); 奎屯 (kuí tún) — Kuitun (a city in Xinjiang).