How to Write 缕 (lǚ) — Meaning “strand / thread / wisp”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 缕?

Imagine a strand of silk (纟) being wound around a woman (女, at the bottom of 娄). This picture of a woman weaving silk threads into strands helps you recall that 缕 means a wisp or thread.

Q: What common words use 缕?

Common words containing 缕 include: 一缕 (yī lǚ) — a wisp; a strand; 缕缕 (lǚ lǚ) — strands of; wisps of; 丝缕 (sī lǚ) — Silk threads / Strands.

lǚ HSK Level 7 12 strokes Radical: 纟

缕 (lǚ) means "strand / thread / wisp" in Chinese. It has 12 strokes with the radical 纟, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 81% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 一缕 (yī lǚ), 缕缕 (lǚ lǚ), 丝缕 (sī lǚ).

Due to its 12 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 缕 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 缕 (lǚ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 缕 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 缕

The character 缕 (lǚ) is written with 12 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 纟 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does lǚ (缕) Mean in Chinese?

缕 means strand / thread / wisp.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 缕 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	缕
Pinyin	lǚ (lv)
Meaning	strand / thread / wisp
Strokes	12
Radical	纟
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 缕

缕 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 纟 (silk) indicates the meaning of thread, while 娄 (lóu) provides the sound and also suggests the idea of 'gathering' or 'repeating,' as in a continuous strand. The character depicts a fine, thin thread or wisp, like silk fiber bundled together.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a woman (女) tying grains of rice (米) together with a silk thread (纟) to form a single long strand (缕).

Common Words with 缕

一缕 yī lǚ

a wisp; a strand

缕缕 lǚ lǚ

strands of; wisps of

丝缕 sī lǚ

Silk threads / Strands

Example Sentences

窗外有一缕阳光。

chuāng wài yǒu yī lǚ yáng guāng

There is a ray of sunshine outside the window.

空中飘着缕缕炊烟。

kōng zhōng piāo zhe lǚ lǚ chuī yān

Wisps of cooking smoke are drifting in the air.

这件衣服有很多丝缕。

zhè jiàn yī fú yǒu hěn duō sī lǚ

This piece of clothing has many loose threads.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
缕 (current)	lǚ	12	纟
绠	gěng	10	纟
绡	xiāo	10	纟
绢	juàn	10	纟

Practice Writing 缕 (lǚ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 缕 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 缕

What are the components of the character 缕 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left side is the radical 纟, which means silk or thread. The right side is 娄, which gives the pronunciation lǚ and originally related to winding or threading. Together they form the meaning of a thin strand or wisp.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 缕?

How should I write 缕 carefully? Are there common mistakes?

How is 缕 different from the similar characters 绠 and 绡?

In what contexts is 缕 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 缕?

How to Write 缕 (lǚ) — Meaning “strand / thread / wisp”

Practice Writing 缕 (lǚ)

How to Write 缕

What Does lǚ (缕) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 缕

Common Words with 缕

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 缕 (lǚ)

Frequently Asked Questions about 缕

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 纟

Other 12-Stroke Characters