How to Write 旒 (liú) — Meaning “Tassels on a crown or banner.”

Picture a flagpole with a square banner (方) and long, flowing tassels (like the curves in 㐬) dangling below it. The visual of the flag and the hanging strings can help you recall that 旒 means 'tassels on a crown or banner'.

Start by writing the radical 方 on the left, then add the right part 㐬 in seven strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or confusing it with 旋; keep the whole character balanced and note that 㐬 ends with a small hook stroke.

旐 (this is 旒) is only used for tassels on crowns or banners, while 旉 (fū) means 'to spread out' and has a different right component (甫). 旋 (xuán) means 'to revolve' and has 疋 below 方, not 㐬; visually, 旋 looks like a flag with a foot, while 旒 has flowing tassels.

The character 旒 is rare in everyday speech and appears mainly in historical or cultural contexts, such as the word 冕旒 (miǎn liú) for the tassels on an emperor's crown. It is also used in classical literature or when describing traditional ceremonial banners, carrying a strong sense of ancient Chinese ritual.

Common words containing 旒 include: 冕旒 (miǎn liú) — Tassels on a ceremonial crown; 旒苏 (liú sū) — Tassels or fringes.; 旌旒 (jīng liú) — Banner streamers or tassels..