How to Write 桲 (po) — Meaning “Quince”

Think of a tree (木) that grows a strange fruit that goes "po" when it drops on the ground. Alternatively, imagine the right side 孛 as a little label that reads "PO" stuck on the tree. This visual link between the sound and the tree helps you recall the character.

Write the left radical 木 first with a slanted horizontal stroke. For the right side 孛, start with the top dot, then horizontal, then left-falling stroke, then horizontal hook, then horizontal, vertical, and final horizontal. A common mistake is making the right part too wide or confusing its hook with a straight stroke.

桲 has the right part 孛, while 枯 has 古 (meaning old) and 枰 has 平 (meaning flat). Visually, 枯 looks like a withered tree (木 + 古), 枰 looks like a wooden board (木 + 平), and 桲 is specifically the quince tree. In use, 枯 is common for "dry," 枰 is rare for "chessboard," and 桲 only appears in the word 榅桲.

桲 is almost never used alone; it always appears in the compound 榅桲 (wēn po), which means the quince fruit or its tree. Quince is not a common fruit in daily Chinese life, but it appears in some traditional recipes and regional snacks. You might also see it in 榅桲汁 (quince juice) on menus.

Common words containing 桲 include: 榅桲 (wēn po) — quince; 榅桲果 (wēn po guǒ) — Quince fruit; 榅桲汁 (wēn po zhī) — Quince juice.