How to Write 廊 (láng) — Meaning “corridor or veranda”

Imagine a long corridor (廊) where a man (郎) is standing under a wide roof (广). The word 'lang' sounds like 'long', reminding you that a corridor is a long space.

Write the radical 广 first: dot, horizontal stroke, then a sweeping left-falling stroke. Then add 郎 inside, making sure the left-falling stroke of 广 covers the top of 郎 without crossing its left side. A common mistake is making 郎 too wide, so keep it narrow under the roof.

廊 (corridor) contains the component 郎, while 庠 (an ancient school) contains 羊. Visually, the lower-right part differs: 廊 has 郎 with a dot and horizontal strokes, whereas 庠 has a horizontal line above a vertical stroke. Their meanings are completely different—廊 is a passageway, 庠 is an educational institution.

廊 appears in common words like 走廊 (hallway) and 画廊 (art gallery). In Chinese gardens, a 长廊 (long covered walkway) is a classic architectural feature, often used for strolling while enjoying the scenery, reflecting the importance of covered transitions in traditional design.

Common words containing 廊 include: 走廊 (zǒu láng) — Corridor; hallway.; 画廊 (huà láng) — Art gallery; 长廊 (cháng láng) — long corridor; covered walkway.