How to Write 幔 (màn) — Meaning “curtain / screen”

Picture a long curtain (巾) stretching across a room, moving slowly like the English word "man" — but here the right side 曼 can be remembered as "man" with a cloth. Imagine a man pulling a giant cloth (巾) to create a screen, and the long movement reminds you of 幔 (màn).

The right side 曼 has a small 日 (sun) above 又 (hand), so be careful not to write it too wide or tall. The radical 巾 on the left is narrow and sits slightly higher, while the right side takes up most of the space. A common mistake is making the 巾 too wide, which unbalances the character.

幔 (curtain) uses the cloth radical 巾 and means a hanging screen, while 帽 (mào, hat) also has 巾 but with 冒 on top and specifically refers to headwear. 幂 (mì, cover/power) uses a different radical (冖 or 巾 in some forms) and means to cover or a mathematical exponent, not a cloth hanging. Visually, 幔 has 曼 on the right, 帽 has 冒, and 幂 has 幂.

幔 appears in words like 幔子 (canvas tent or curtain) and 窗幔 (window valance), often describing heavy fabric hangings in rooms or on stages. It is less common in daily speech than the simpler word 窗帘 (chuāng lián) for curtain, but 幔 conveys a thicker, more decorative or theatrical drape. Culturally, 幔 is associated with traditional theater or ceremonial spaces where large screens separate areas.

Common words containing 幔 include: 幔子 (màn zi) — curtain / canopy; 窗幔 (chuāng màn) — Window hangings; 布幔 (bù màn) — curtain; canopy.