How to Write 耒 (lěi) — Meaning “Plough / Ancient farm tool”

Imagine a farmer holding a long stick (the top part) with a curved metal tip (the bottom strokes) to dig soil. The three horizontal strokes in the middle look like the ridges of a plowed field. This image connects the shape to the meaning of a plough.

Start with the top horizontal stroke, then the left vertical, then the three short horizontals inside, and finally the bottom curved stroke. Keep the three inner horizontals evenly spaced and shorter than the top stroke. A common mistake is making the bottom stroke too straight — it should curve slightly to mimic a plow blade.

耒耜 (lěi sì) refers to ancient farm tools as a pair, like the plow and its handle, often used in historical or agricultural texts. 耒阳 (lěi yáng) is the name of a city in Hunan province, China, so you might see it in geography or travel contexts. 耒头 (lěi tóu) means the head or blade of a plough, used in farming discussions.

耒 is not common in daily modern Chinese but appears in historical, archaeological, or classical literature contexts. It represents an essential ancient farming tool, symbolizing China's long agricultural history. The character is also used in the name of the city 耒阳, preserving its cultural heritage.

Common words containing 耒 include: 耒耜 (lěi sì) — Ancient farm tools / Plough; 耒阳 (lěi yáng) — Leiyang (a city in Hunan province); 耒头 (lěi tóu) — The head of a plough.