How to Write 藕 (ǒu) — Meaning “lotus root”

Imagine the top radicals 艹 as the leaves of the lotus plant, and the bottom part 偶 as two lotus roots connected by thin threads. The left component 亻 (person) can remind you of a person pulling the roots apart, echoing the idiom "藕断丝连" (broken but still connected).

Start with the top radical 艹: write horizontal line, then two vertical lines, then another horizontal (4 strokes). The bottom part 偶 begins with the left radical 亻, then the complex 禺 (9 strokes). A common mistake is writing the top 艹 too wide or mixing up the inner strokes of 禺—remember each section aligns vertically.

藕 has the bottom part 偶 (ǒu), while 䕭 has 然 (rán) under 艹, and 蕑 has 閒 (jiān) under 艹. Visually, 藕 is more compact with a left-right bottom structure, whereas 䕭 has a top-bottom arrangement and 蕑 has a wider middle component. In usage, 藕 is common for lotus root, while 䕭 and 蕑 are very rare plant names.

藕 appears in everyday words for lotus root food, such as 莲藕 (lotus root), 藕粉 (lotus root starch used in desserts), and the idiom 藕断丝连 (describing lingering feelings like the threads of a cut lotus root). It is especially common during Chinese festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival, where lotus root dishes symbolize reunion and connection.

Common words containing 藕 include: 莲藕 (lián ǒu) — lotus root; 藕粉 (ǒu fěn) — lotus root starch; 藕断丝连 (ǒu duàn sī lián) — broken but still connected; lingering affection.