How to Write 圊 (qīng) — Meaning “latrine / toilet”

Imagine a green (青) enclosed area (囗) that you need to keep clean — this matches the idea of a latrine. You can also think of the pinyin "qīng" as sounding like "cleaning," reminding you that a latrine needs regular cleaning.

First write the outer enclosure 囗 as a frame, then place 青 inside. Make sure the 囗 is neither too large nor too small — the inner 青 should fit comfortably without touching the frame. A common mistake is writing the inner component too wide, causing it to extend beyond the enclosure.

All three share the 囗 enclosure radical but have different inner parts. 圊 (latrine) has 青 inside, 囿 (garden or park) has 有 inside, and 圂 (pigsty) has 豕 (pig) inside. Their meanings are distinct: 圊 specifically refers to a toilet, while 囿 is a recreational enclosure and 圂 is a pigpen.

圊 is an old or literary character, rarely used alone in everyday speech; most people say 厕所 instead. It appears in historical texts and compound words like 圊厕 (toilet) or 圊肥 (night soil as fertilizer). The word 圊溷 highlights an ancient practice where latrines were combined with pigsties.

Common words containing 圊 include: 圊厕 (qīng cè) — latrine / toilet; 圊溷 (qīng hùn) — latrine / pigsty and toilet; 圊肥 (qīng féi) — night soil / manure from latrines.