How to Write 堃 (kūn) — Meaning “earth; female (variant of 坤)”

Think of two layers of soil (土 on top of 土) representing the earth's solid foundation. The shape looks like a small hill or mound, reminding you that 堃 means earth or thick land.

Write the top 土 first (horizontal, vertical, horizontal), then the bottom 土 below, keeping both parts the same size and aligned vertically. A common mistake is making the two 土 parts uneven or too far apart, which breaks the balanced look of the character.

堃 (earth, variant of 坤) has two 土 stacked, while 型 (type, model) has 土 on top with 刂 (knife radical) below. 垌 (field, dong) has 土 on the left and 同 on the right. Unlike these, 堃 is rarely used in daily vocabulary and appears mainly in names or classical texts.

堃 is a variant of 坤 and is now mostly seen in personal names, such as the famous Chinese lawyer and politician Zhang Kun (张堃). It carries a classical, literary feel and is not part of the HSK vocabulary, so learners may only encounter it in historical or cultural contexts.

Common words containing 堃 include: 堃元 (kūn yuán) — Kunyuan (a name or the origin of earth); 堃载 (kūn zài) — to bear or carry (like the earth); 堃厚 (kūn hòu) — thick and solid (like earth).