How to Write 楸 (qiū) — Meaning “catalpa tree”

Picture a tall catalpa tree (木) whose leaves turn golden in autumn (秋). The "autumn" part reminds you that the sound is qiū, and the tree radical tells you it is a kind of tree.

Write the left radical 木 first with a vertical stroke that is slightly shorter than usual to leave room for the right side. The right part 秋 has nine strokes—be careful to write the left side of 秋 (禾) before the right side (火), and keep the whole character balanced, with the left side narrower than the right.

楸 (qiū) is a catalpa tree, while 桫 (suō) means "suo tree" (a type of fern tree) and 桲 (bó) refers to a wooden pestle or a quince tree. Visually, 楸 has 秋 on the right, 桫 has 沙 (sand), and 桲 has 孛 (a phonetic component)—so look for the right-side component to tell them apart.

楸 is used in words like 楸树 (catalpa tree) and 楸木 (catalpa wood), often in botany or woodworking contexts. The catalpa tree is valued in Chinese culture for its strong, durable wood used in furniture and construction, and it has a long history in traditional Chinese gardens.

Common words containing 楸 include: 楸树 (qiū shù) — catalpa tree; 楸木 (qiū mù) — catalpa wood; 楸子 (qiū zi) — catalpa fruit.