How to Write 门 (mén) — Meaning “door; gate”

Picture the character as a doorway seen from above: the two vertical strokes are the door frames, and the horizontal hook at the top is the hinge or bar connecting them. Think of opening a door by lifting the top bar, and you'll never forget this simple shape.

Write the left vertical stroke first, then the top horizontal hook that curves to the right, and finally the right vertical stroke that ends with a small hook inward. The two verticals should be parallel and evenly spaced, and the top hook must not be too long or too short.

门 is the basic character for 'door' or 'gate'. 闩 (shuān) means 'door bolt' or 'latch' and adds a horizontal stroke inside 门 to show a bar locking the door. 闪 (shǎn) means 'flash' or 'dodge' and has a 人 (person) radical inside 门, suggesting a person quickly passing through a doorway.

门 is used in everyday words like '门口' (entrance), '开门' (open the door), and '门票' (admission ticket). Culturally, doors are important in Chinese feng shui and represent opportunity, so phrases like '开门大吉' (open the door to good luck) are common during festivals.

Common words containing 门 include: 门口 (mén kǒu) — doorway; entrance; 开门 (kāi mén) — to open the door; 门票 (mén piào) — Entrance ticket.