How to Write 苫 (shān/shàn) — Meaning “To cover / to thatch”

Imagine a grass roof (艹) that "occupies" (占) the top of a house to keep rain out. This picture helps you remember that 苫 means to cover or thatch with grass.

Start with the grass radical: write a horizontal line, then a short vertical line on the left, then a short vertical on the right. Next write 占: first a vertical line, then a horizontal line across the top, then another vertical line down from that horizontal, then a horizontal line at the bottom, and finally a short horizontal line inside the bottom part. Keep the grass radical narrow and centered above 占.

苫 has the lower part 占 (like a vertical line over a rectangle), while 兹 (zī) has a lower part like 玄 (two threads crossing). 艻 (lè) is simpler, with just 力 (strength) under the grass radical. Their meanings are also unrelated: 苫 is about covering, 兹 means "now" or "this", and 艻 is a rare plant name.

You will see 苫 in words like 苫布 (shàn bù, tarpaulin) and 苫盖 (shàn gài, to cover with a mat). It is not a common character in everyday conversation but appears in construction, farming, and shipping contexts. The traditional skill of thatching roofs (苫房) is still practiced in some rural areas of China.

Common words containing 苫 include: 苫布 (shàn bù) — Tarpaulin / waterproof cloth; 苫盖 (shàn gài) — To cover (with a mat or tarpaulin); 苫房 (shān fáng) — To thatch a roof.