How to Write 瑯 (láng) — Meaning “enamel/jade-like stone”

Imagine a "king" (王) wearing a jade pendant shaped like a "wolf" (郎) — blending the left radical with the right phonetic. This visual trick helps you recall that 瑯 means a beautiful, enamel-like stone.

Write the left radical 王 first (horizontal, horizontal, vertical, horizontal), then the right part 郎. The right side has 7 strokes: start with the dot at the top, then the short horizontal, then the top of 阝 (a descending stroke with a hook), followed by the three strokes of 艮. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it balanced and the left 王 slightly narrower.

珙 (gǒng) means a specific type of jade artifact and uses the phonetic 共, while 珞 (luò) indicates a necklace made of gems and uses 各 as phonetic. Unlike these, 瑯 (láng) emphasizes a stone with an enamel-like shine and appears in fixed phrases like 琳瑯满目 (a dazzling array). Visually, 瑯 has the right component 郎, not 共 or 各.

瑯 is rarely used alone; it appears mainly in compound words like 琳瑯满目 (a superb collection of beautiful things) to describe a magnificent display of jade or treasures. Another common use is 瑯琊 (Láng yá), an ancient place name from Chinese history and literature, such as in the novel "Langya Bang." The character evokes elegance and rarity, often associated with scholarly refinement.

Common words containing 瑯 include: 琳瑯满目 (lín láng mǎn mù) — A superb collection of beautiful things.; 瑯瑯 (láng láng) — sound of reading aloud; 瑯琊 (láng yá) — Langya (a place name).