How to Write 畹 (wǎn) — Meaning “Wan (ancient unit of land area)”

Imagine a field (田) that is exactly the size of one 畹 unit. The right side 宛 looks like a curved shape, reminding you that this land measurement is like a special 'bend' in the field. You can think: "The field curves into a perfect Wan (畹) area."

Write the left part 田 with normal proportions, not too wide. Then write the right part 宛: first the roof (宀), then 夕 (evening), and finally 巳 at the bottom. A common mistake is making the 巳 too large or misplacing the hook. Keep the right side balanced with the left field.

While all three characters have the 田 radical, they differ in meaning and right-side parts. 畹 (wǎn) is an ancient land area unit, 略 (lüè) means 'brief' or 'strategy' (right side 各), and 畦 (qí) means a small plot or furrow (right side 圭). Visually, 畹 has a right side with a roof and bottom hook, which is unique.

畹 is not a common character in everyday speech. It appears in the place name 畹町 (Wanding), a town in Yunnan, and in classical or literary references such as 九畹 (jiǔ wǎn), which describes a large orchid garden. You may encounter it in poetry or historical texts about land measurement.

Common words containing 畹 include: 九畹 (jiǔ wǎn) — Jiuwan (a large area of land, often referring to orchid gardens); 畹町 (wǎn tīng) — Wanding (a town in Yunnan, China); 兰畹 (lán wǎn) — Orchid garden.