How to Write 帘 (lián) — Meaning “Curtain or screen.”

Imagine a cave (穴) with a cloth (巾) hanging down across its entrance like a curtain. The top of 帘 looks like a cave roof, and the bottom part 巾 is the cloth. This visual of a cloth covering a cave opening helps recall both the shape and meaning.

The top part 穴 is wide and should cover the bottom 巾, so write the top dot and cover first, then the left and right strokes. The bottom 巾 has three strokes: a short left vertical, a horizontal hook, and a long vertical — ensure the final vertical extends slightly below the hook. Common mistakes include making the top too narrow or forgetting the hook on the third stroke of 巾.

帘 (curtain) has a top of 穴 (cave) and bottom 巾 (cloth), while 帆 (sail) has 巾 on the left and 凡 on the right, meaning a sail on a boat. 师 (teacher) has 巾 on the left and 丿 and 巾 on the right, with a different overall structure. Visually, 帘 is taller and narrow with a cave-like top, whereas 帆 is left-right balanced and 师 is left-right with a distinct right side.

帘 is commonly used in words like 窗帘 (curtains for windows) and 门帘 (door curtain). It appears in daily conversation when talking about home decorations or screens. Culturally, traditional Chinese doors often have beaded or cloth curtains called 门帘 to keep insects out while allowing airflow, and 帘 also appears in idioms like 竹帘 (bamboo curtain) referring to traditional blinds.

Common words containing 帘 include: 窗帘 (chuāng lián) — Curtain; 门帘 (mén lián) — Door curtain; 帘子 (lián zi) — Curtain..