How to Write 豌 (wān) — Meaning “Pea”

Imagine a pea pod shaped like the number "1" (wān sounds like "one") growing from a bean plant. The left side 豆 looks like a bean, and the right side 宛 can be seen as a curly vine. This visual helps you connect the sound and meaning to the shape of the character.

Write the left radical 豆 first, making it narrow and tall. Then add the right part 宛, which is wider — be careful to write the top of 宛 as 宀 (roof) followed by 夕 (evening) and then 巳 (snake). A common mistake is to confuse the bottom of 宛 with 己 or 已, so remember it is 巳 (full bottom stroke).

The character 豊 (lǐ) has a different right component: it is made of 豆 plus 豊 (a ceremonial vessel), while 豌 uses 宛 on the right. In meaning, 豊 is used in words for ritual vessels or abundance, not for food. Visually, 豌 has a more complex right side with a roof and a snake-like shape, while 豊 is simpler and more balanced.

The character 豌 appears mainly in food-related words like 豌豆 (wān dòu, peas), 豌豆苗 (wān dòu miáo, pea shoots), and 豌豆黄 (wān dòu huáng, a sweet pea flour cake). It is not a common standalone character and is mostly seen in menus and gardening contexts. In Chinese culture, pea flour cake (豌豆黄) is a traditional snack from Beijing, especially popular in spring.

Common words containing 豌 include: 豌豆 (wān dòu) — Pea; 豌豆苗 (wān dòu miáo) — Pea shoots; 豌豆黄 (wān dòu huáng) — Pea flour cake.