How to Write 皖 (wǎn) — Meaning “Anhui Province (abbreviation)”

Imagine a white (白) sun setting over a complete (完) landscape of Anhui Province, representing its famous scenery. The 'white' reminds you of Anhui's white-walled houses, and 'complete' suggests the full territory of the province. This visual links the sound wǎn to the abbreviation for Anhui.

The top part 白 must be written with the left vertical stroke slightly shorter than the right, and the bottom part 完 should align under the center of 白. A common mistake is making the top too wide or the bottom too narrow; ensure both parts are balanced. The last stroke of 完 (a vertical hook) should extend slightly below the left side.

While 皖 means Anhui Province, 皋 (gāo) refers to a marsh or bank, and 皎 (jiǎo) means bright or white. Visually, 皖 has 白 over 完, 皋 has 白 over 夰 (a different bottom), and 皎 has 白 on the left with 交 on the right. Their meanings and pronunciations are completely unrelated despite sharing the 白 radical.

皖 is exclusively used as the official abbreviation for Anhui Province, appearing on license plates, postal codes, and news headlines. It also appears in regional terms like 皖南 (Southern Anhui) and 皖北 (Northern Anhui) to describe areas of the province. Culturally, Anhui cuisine (皖菜) is one of China's eight great culinary traditions, famous for its wild herbs and braised dishes.

Common words containing 皖 include: 皖南 (wǎn nán) — Southern Anhui; 皖北 (wǎn běi) — Northern Anhui; 皖菜 (wǎn cài) — Anhui cuisine.