How to Write 闽 (mǐn) — Meaning “Short name for Fujian province”

Imagine opening a door (门) and finding a room full of insects (虫) – this strange sight helps you recall that 闽 stands for Fujian, a province known for its warm, humid climate with many insects. Another trick is to think of the word ‘min’ in ‘minnow’ (a small fish) and remember that Fujian is a coastal province full of seafood.

Write the outer ‘门’ first as a tall, narrow enclosure; the left stroke is a vertical line with a hook, and the right part is a straight vertical line with a long horizontal turn. Inside, write ‘虫’ (the insect radical) neatly centered – its vertical stroke should not cross the bottom of the box. A common mistake is making the inner ‘虫’ too wide or touching the frame, so keep it compact.

While all three share the ‘门’ radical, they differ in the inner component: 闽 contains ‘虫’ (insect), 闰 contains ‘王’ (king/jade), and 闱 contains ‘韦’ (leather). Their meanings are completely different: 闽 is the short name for Fujian, 闰 means an intercalary month in the lunar calendar, and 闱 refers to the side gate of a palace or an examination hall.

闽 is commonly used as a short name for Fujian province, appearing in names of local things like 闽菜 (Fujian cuisine), 闽南语 (Southern Min dialect, also called Hokkien), and 闽剧 (Fujian opera). You will also see it on car license plates from Fujian (闽开头), in news about the province, and when discussing regional culture or language.

Common words containing 闽 include: 闽菜 (mǐn cài) — Fujian cuisine; 闽南语 (mǐn nán yǔ) — Southern Min dialect; Hokkien; 闽剧 (mǐn jù) — Fujian Opera.