How to Write 潞 (lù) — Meaning “Lu (name of a river)”

Picture a "road" made of water — imagine driving a boat along the Lu River as if it were a watery highway. The left side 氵 shows it is water, and the right side 路 reminds you of a path. So 潞 is a water road, which is the Lu River.

潞 has 16 strokes, so write the left water radical (氵) as three quick dots, keeping them small and evenly placed. The right side 路 is wider; ensure the top part (足) is not too tall and the bottom part (各) is balanced. A common mistake is making the right side too narrow or forgetting the extra stroke in 路.

潞 has the right component 路 (road), while 滕 uses 滕 (a different component meaning 'to rise' or a place name) and 滴 uses 啇 (related to dropping liquid). Visually, 潞's right side is wider with more strokes than 滕, and 滴 has a simpler right side with a shorter bottom. In meaning, 潞 is a river name, 滕 often refers to a state or vine, and 滴 means 'drip' or 'drop'.

潞 is mostly found in proper names such as 潞河 (Lu River, a river in Shanxi), 潞安 (Lu'an, a historical place name), and 潞绸 (Lu silk, a famous silk from that region). It is not used in daily conversation and is considered a rare character. Culturally, Lu silk was a valuable tribute fabric in ancient China, so 潞 appears in historical texts about trade and craftsmanship.

Common words containing 潞 include: 潞河 (lù hé) — Lu River; 潞安 (lù ān) — Lu'an (a place name); 潞绸 (lù chóu) — Lu silk (a type of silk).