How to Write 琉 (liú) — Meaning “Glazed glass”

Imagine a king (王) holding a shiny piece of colored glass that looks like a flowing (流 without water) treasure. The right side 㐬 resembles a stream of liquid glaze being poured, helping you recall that 琉 is about glazed glass.

Start with the left radical 王 as three horizontal strokes and a short vertical stroke, keeping it narrow. Then write the right part 㐬: first the dot on top, then a horizontal stroke, a diagonal stroke going left, and finally a vertical hook; make sure the bottom part doesn't look like 充 (chōng). Common errors include making the right side too wide or miswriting the hook.

玲 (líng) has the same jade radical but the right side is 令, meaning ‘tinkling jade’ or ‘exquisite’. 玳 (dài) uses 代 on the right and refers to a type of tortoiseshell. In contrast, 琉 specifically means colored glaze or glass, and its right side 㐬 is unique to this character.

琉 almost always appears in the word 琉璃 (liú lí), meaning colored glaze or glass. It is common in art, architecture, and jewelry, such as 琉璃瓦 (glazed tiles) used on traditional roofs. Culturally, 琉璃 is prized for its beauty and is often associated with ancient Chinese craftsmanship.

Common words containing 琉 include: 琉璃 (liú lí) — Colored glaze; 琉璃瓦 (liú lí wǎ) — Glazed tile; 琉璃球 (liú lí qiú) — Glass marble.