How to Write 晒 (shài) — Meaning “to bask in the sun; to dry in the sun”

Picture the sun (日) in the west (西) at sunset, and you are still outside basking in its warm light. This image links the left and right parts and the action of sunbathing. Remember: the sun goes west, and you get 晒.

A common mistake is making the 日 radical too narrow or misaligning its bottom with the 西 part. The 西 must have its inner strokes evenly spaced and its bottom horizontal line slightly wider than the top. Practice writing the whole character with balanced width between the two halves.

晒 specifically means to dry or bask in the sun, while 旺 means prosperous or bright (like a flame). 昀 is a rare character meaning sunlight. Visually, 晒 has 西 on the right, 旺 has 王 (king), and 昀 has 匀 (even). Remember: 晒 is about direct sun exposure, not just brightness.

You use 晒 for actions like drying clothes (晒衣服) or sunbathing (晒太阳). A popular modern usage is on social media: 晒 means to share or show off something (e.g., 晒照片, 晒幸福), as if "airing" it out in public. This internet slang comes from the idea of displaying items in the sun for all to see.

Common words containing 晒 include: 晒太阳 (shài tài yáng) — to sunbathe; to bask in the sun; 晒衣服 (shài yī fú) — to dry clothes in the sun; 晒黑 (shài hēi) — to get a tan; to get sunburnt.