How to Write 蓬 (péng) — Meaning “fluffy; disheveled; fleabane”

Imagine a fluffy plant (艹) growing wild at a crossroads where paths meet (逢). The messy, overgrown appearance of the plant helps you remember both the "fluffy" and "disheveled" meanings of 蓬.

Write the top grass radical 艹 first, wide enough to cover the character below. The bottom part 逢 has 10 strokes; be careful with the 辶 (walk radical) — make sure the final stroke is a smooth curve, not a straight line. A common mistake is making the top radical too small, which throws off the balance.

蓬 means fluffy or disheveled and is used in words like 蓬松 (fluffy) and 蓬勃 (vigorous). 莿 (cì) means thorn or splinter, and 菀 (wǎn) means luxuriant growth. Visually, 蓬 contains 逢, 莿 contains 刺 (thorn), and 菀 contains 宛 (winding), so each has a distinct lower component.

蓬 appears in common words like 蓬松 (fluffy, as in hair or cotton), 莲蓬 (lotus seed pod), and 蓬勃 (vigorous, flourishing). It is also used in the idiom 蓬头垢面 (with disheveled hair and dirty face). While not in HSK, it is useful for describing textures and energetic growth.

Common words containing 蓬 include: 蓬松 (péng sōng) — fluffy; loose; 莲蓬 (lián péng) — lotus seed pod; 蓬勃 (péng bó) — vigorous; flourishing.