How to Write 榻 (tà) — Meaning “Couch or bed”

Imagine a wooden bed (木) that is so flat and wide you could roll on it like a mat — the right side 㕇 looks a bit like a person lying down with arms stretched out. This helps connect the shape to the idea of a couch or sleeping place.

Pay attention to the right side 㕇: it has a horizontal stroke at the top, then a sun-like 日 shape, and finally another horizontal stroke at the bottom — do not confuse it with 舀 or 稻. Also, the left radical 木 should be written narrow and tall, with its last stroke turning into a dot to make room for the right side.

榻 (bed) has the wood radical 木 on the left and a complex right part 㕇, while 棉 (cotton) uses the 木 radical but with 帛 (silk) on the right, relating to cloth. 棋 (chess) also has 木 on the left but the right side is 其 (qí), so focus on the right half to distinguish them.

榻 is used in words like 榻榻米 (tà tà mǐ) for Japanese tatami mats, and 下榻 (xià tà) meaning "to stay at a hotel" — a formal or literary expression. In daily speech, 床 (chuáng) is more common for "bed", while 榻 appears in traditional furniture names or cultural contexts.

Common words containing 榻 include: 榻榻米 (tà tà mǐ) — Tatami; 下榻 (xià tà) — to stay (at a hotel or lodging); 卧榻 (wò tà) — couch / bed.