How to Write 柠 (níng) — Meaning “lemon (used in compounds)”

Imagine a lemon tree (木) growing next to a quiet, peaceful garden (宁). The sound "níng" also sounds like the English word "ring," so you can picture a lemon with a ring around it. This combines the tree radical and the sound to help recall 柠.

Write the left radical 木 first with the vertical stroke straight and the two diagonal strokes balanced. Then write 宁 on the right, starting with the dot on top, followed by the horizontal stroke and the hook. A common mistake is making the right side too wide, so keep both sides roughly equal in width.

柠 means lemon and is only used in compounds like 柠檬, while 杆 (gǎn) means a pole or rod (e.g., 栏杆 railing) and 杈 (chà) means a fork in a tree or a pitchfork. Visually, 柠 has the right component 宁, whereas 杆 has 干 (gàn) and 杈 has 叉 (chā). Their pronunciations and meanings are completely different.

柠 almost always appears in the word 柠檬 (níng méng, lemon), which is a common fruit. You will see it in drinks like 柠檬水 (lemonade) and 柠檬茶 (lemon tea), which are popular in Chinese cafes and restaurants. There is no cultural festival tied to 柠, but lemons are often associated with freshness and sourness in daily life.

Common words containing 柠 include: 柠檬 (níng méng) — lemon; 柠檬水 (níng méng shuǐ) — lemonade or lemon water; 柠檬茶 (níng méng chá) — lemon tea.