How to Write 璞 (pú) — Meaning “Uncut jade; unpolished gem”

Imagine a piece of jade (王) hidden inside a rough, bumpy rock—the right side 菐 looks like a cluster of uneven shapes. You can think of it as "a plain stone (菐) holding precious jade (王) inside." This visual of a hidden treasure helps you recall that 璞 means unpolished jade.

The right side 菐 has many strokes—be careful not to merge the top 艹-like part with the middle 业-like shape. The overall structure is left-right balanced, with the left radical 王 slightly narrower than the complex right side. A common mistake is making the right portion too compressed; allow space for all 11 strokes in 菐.

Unlike 璞 which means "uncut jade," 瑭 (táng) refers to a type of jade ornament and is rarely used alone. 瑱 (tiàn) means a jade earplug or stopper used in ancient times. Visually, 璞 has a much more complex right side (菐) compared to the simpler 唐 in 瑭 and 真 in 瑱, making it easy to distinguish by stroke count.

璞 appears in words like 璞玉 (pú yù, uncut jade) and 返璞 (fǎn pú, to return to simplicity). It carries a cultural metaphor for innate purity or raw talent that hasn't been spoiled by worldly influence. In modern contexts, it often describes someone with natural ability or a simple, sincere character.

Common words containing 璞 include: 璞玉 (pú yù) — Uncut jade; unpolished diamond; 璞真 (pú zhēn) — pure and sincere; 返璞 (fǎn pú) — to return to simplicity; to return to one's original nature.