How to Write 桑 (sāng) — Meaning “Mulberry”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 桑?

Imagine three hands (three 又) reaching up to pick delicious mulberries from a tree (木). The three hands also look like the many branches of a mulberry tree full of fruit.

Q: What are important writing tips for 桑?

Write the top three 又 components smaller and closely packed, with the bottom 木 slightly wider to support them. A common mistake is making the three 又 too large or uneven, which makes the character unbalanced. The left and right strokes of 木 should extend outward to hold the top.

Q: What common words use 桑?

Common words containing 桑 include: 桑树 (sāng shù) — Mulberry tree; 桑叶 (sāng yè) — Mulberry leaf; 桑葚 (sāng shèn) — Mulberry fruit.

sāng HSK Level 7 10 strokes Radical: 木

桑 (sāng) means "Mulberry" in Chinese. It has 10 strokes with the radical 木, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 63% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 桑树 (sāng shù), 桑叶 (sāng yè), 桑葚 (sāng shèn).

Due to its 10 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 桑 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 桑 (sāng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 桑 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 桑

The character 桑 (sāng) is written with 10 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 木 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does sāng (桑) Mean in Chinese?

桑 means Mulberry.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 桑 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	桑
Pinyin	sāng (sang)
Meaning	Mulberry
Strokes	10
Radical	木
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 桑

桑 combines the tree radical 木 with three hands (又), representing hands picking mulberries or mulberry leaves from the tree. The ancient form depicted a mulberry tree with multiple hands gathering its leaves for silk cultivation.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture three hands (三又) greedily reaching into a tree (木) to pluck delicious purple mulberries.

Common Words with 桑

桑树 sāng shù

Mulberry tree

桑叶 sāng yè

Mulberry leaf

桑葚 sāng shèn

Mulberry fruit

Example Sentences

院子里种了一棵桑树。

yuàn zi lǐ zhǒng le yī kē sāng shù

A mulberry tree is planted in the yard.

蚕最喜欢吃桑叶。

cán zuì xǐ huān chī sāng yè

Silkworms like eating mulberry leaves the most.

成熟的桑葚非常甜。

chéng shú de sāng shèn fēi cháng tián

Ripe mulberries are very sweet.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
桑 (current)	sāng	10	木
杪	miǎo	8	木
杭	háng	8	木
杯	bēi	8	木

Practice Writing 桑 (sāng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 桑 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 桑

What are the components of 桑 and how do they relate to its meaning?

桑 is made of three 又 (hands) on top of 木 (tree), suggesting the idea of picking or gathering leaves from a mulberry tree. The tree radical 木 gives the meaning of tree, while the three hands imply the action of harvesting mulberry leaves for silkworms.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 桑?

What are important writing tips for 桑?

How can I distinguish 桑 from the similar characters 杪 and 杭?

When and how is 桑 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 桑?

How to Write 桑 (sāng) — Meaning “Mulberry”

Practice Writing 桑 (sāng)

How to Write 桑

What Does sāng (桑) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 桑

Common Words with 桑

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 桑 (sāng)

Frequently Asked Questions about 桑

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 木

Other 10-Stroke Characters