How to Write 枘 (ruì) — Meaning “tenon”

Think of 木 (wood) and 内 (inside) — the tenon is the piece of wood that goes inside another piece. Imagine a square tenon being pushed into a square hole; the shape of 内 even looks like a box or container. This "wood inside" image helps you recall the meaning.

The left radical 木 has four strokes: horizontal, vertical, left-falling, and right-falling (a small dot). The right side 内 has four strokes: vertical, horizontal fold hook, left-falling, and dot. A common mistake is making the right side too wide — keep 内 narrower than 木 so the character stays balanced.

朱 (zhū) has a horizontal line crossing through the middle of 木, while 枘 has the right side 内 with a closed shape. 朴 (pǔ) uses the radical 卜 (divination) on the right, which is just a vertical dot and a down stroke — much simpler than the four-stroke 内. The extra strokes in 内 make 枘 look more complex.

枘 is rare in daily conversation but appears in woodworking and traditional architecture when discussing mortise-and-tenon joints. The word 枘凿 (ruì záo) is also used metaphorically to describe things that fit perfectly together, like a well-matched pair. It is an important cultural term for ancient Chinese craftsmanship without nails.

Common words containing 枘 include: 枘凿 (ruì záo) — tenon and mortise; 枘方 (ruì fāng) — square tenon; 枘圆 (ruì yuán) — round tenon.