How to Write 栏 (lán) — Meaning “fence; railing; column”

Imagine a wooden fence (木) with beautiful orchids (兰) growing along it. The orchids hang over the railing, helping you link the wood radical to the orchid sound. This visual trick connects the shape and meaning: a wooden structure decorated with flowers.

Write the left radical 木 first (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling), then the right part 兰 (three horizontal strokes from top to bottom). A common mistake is making the horizontal stroke of 木 too long, which throws off the balance—keep it moderate. Also, ensure the three horizontal strokes in 兰 are evenly spaced and parallel.

栏 (lán) uses 兰 (orchid) on the right and means 'fence/railing' or 'column.' 杆 (gān) uses 干 (dry/pole) and means 'rod' or 'stick,' like a flagpole. 杈 (chà) uses 叉 (fork) and means 'fork' or 'branch,' like a tree branch. Visually, the right parts are different: 兰, 干, and 叉.

栏 is very common in modern Chinese for physical railings (栏杆), newspaper sections (专栏), and website comment areas (留言栏). For example, a newspaper's 'column' is called 专栏 (zhuān lán), a frequent term in media. The character also appears in 围栏 (wéi lán, fence/barrier) for safety or boundaries.

Common words containing 栏 include: 栏杆 (lán gān) — railing; banister; balustrade; 专栏 (zhuān lán) — column (in a publication); 围栏 (wéi lán) — Fence / Railing.