How to Write 莲 (lián) — Meaning “lotus”

Imagine a lotus flower (莲花) with a long stem that connects (连) its flower to the muddy bottom of a pond. The top part 艹 looks like the two floating leaves of the lotus. So remember: lotus leaves (艹) + connect (连) = 莲.

Write the top radical 艹 first with three strokes: a horizontal line, then two short vertical strokes. Then write the bottom part 连, starting with 车 (four strokes: horizontal, left-falling fold, horizontal, vertical) and finally the 辶 (three strokes: dot, horizontal fold, downward sloping). A common mistake is making the 辶 too large or misaligning the 车 inside it.

莲 has the radical 艹 and the component 连, meaning lotus. 兹 (zī) has two 丝 (silk) components and is used for "now" or "this". 苑 (yuàn) also has 艹 but the bottom is 夗, and it means "garden" or "park", often seen in place names. Visually, 莲 has a clear "连" part, while 兹 has two "幺" and 苑 has a complex lower part resembling 夕 and 巳.

莲 is commonly found in words like 莲花 (lotus flower), 莲蓬 (lotus seed pod), and 睡莲 (water lily). In Chinese culture, the lotus symbolizes purity and perfection, often appearing in poetry, art, and Buddhist references. It is less common in daily conversation (not in HSK), but it is frequently seen in literary and ornamental contexts.

Common words containing 莲 include: 莲花 (lián huā) — lotus flower; 莲蓬 (lián péng) — lotus seed pod; 睡莲 (shuì lián) — Water lily..