How to Write 芘 (pí) — Meaning “Pyrene (a chemical compound)”

Imagine a chemist comparing two grass samples and discovering a new compound called Pyrene. The top part 艹 reminds you of grass or plants, and the bottom 比 looks like two people side by side, comparing. Together, they visualize 'comparing grass chemicals' to recall the rare chemical meaning.

Write the 艹 radical first with a horizontal stroke, then the left vertical, then the right vertical. For the bottom 比, start with the left part (horizontal, vertical, horizontal) then the right part (horizontal, vertical, horizontal). A common mistake is making the 比 part too narrow or forgetting that it has four strokes per side, so keep both sides balanced and slightly wider than the top radical.

芘 has a 比 component below, while 兹 has 玄 below and means 'now' or 'this', and 艻 has 力 below and refers to a type of grass. Visually, 芘's bottom looks like two '匕' shapes, 兹's bottom looks like '玄' (mysterious), and 艻's bottom is '力' (power). They are also used in completely different contexts: 芘 is a chemical term, 兹 is common in classical texts, and 艻 is very rare.

芘 is almost exclusively used in chemistry to mean 'Pyrene', a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. You will not find it in daily conversation or common writing; it appears in scientific papers and chemical textbooks. There is no cultural or literary significance attached to this character due to its very specialized and modern usage.

Common words containing 芘 include: 芘 (pí) — Pyrene (a chemical compound); 芘子 (pí zi) — Pyrene.