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How to Write 薇 (wēi) — Meaning “royal fern; vetch”

wēi 16 strokes Radical: 艹

薇 (wēi) means "royal fern; vetch" in Chinese. It has 16 strokes with the radical 艹.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Appears in 3+ common words including 蔷薇 (qiáng wēi), 薇菜 (wēi cài), 紫薇 (zǐ wēi).

Due to its 16 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 薇 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Stroke order practice for 薇 - wēi

Practice Writing 薇 (wēi)

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How to Write 薇

The character 薇 (wēi) is written with 16 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 艹 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does wēi (薇) Mean in Chinese?

薇 means royal fern; vetch.

Character Data

Character薇
Pinyinwēi (wei)
Meaningroyal fern; vetch
Strokes16
Radical艹
Difficulty4.2/5

Origin of 薇

薇 is a compound character where the radical 艹 (grass) indicates it is a plant, and the phonetic component 微 (wēi, meaning 'tiny' or 'delicate') suggests the small, fine leaves of the royal fern or vetch. Together, they depict a delicate herbaceous plant.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a tiny (微) fern growing among the grass (艹), so small you have to stoop low to see its delicate fronds.

Common Words with 薇

蔷薇 qiáng wēi
rose / multiflora rose
薇菜 wēi cài
royal fern (edible)
紫薇 zǐ wēi
crape myrtle

Example Sentences

这里的蔷薇很美。

zhè lǐ de qiáng wēi hěn měi

The roses here are very beautiful.

薇菜是一种野菜。

wēi cài shì yī zhǒng yě cài

Royal fern is a type of wild vegetable.

公园里种了紫薇花。

gōng yuán lǐ zhǒng le zǐ wēi huā

Crape myrtles are planted in the park.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
薇 (current) wēi 16 艹
蒟 jǔ 14 艹
蒻 ruò 14 艹
蓂 míng 14 艹
Stroke order practice for 薇 - wēi

Practice Writing 薇 (wēi)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 薇 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 薇

薇 has the grass radical 艹 on top, showing it is a plant. The lower part 微 (wēi) provides the sound and carries a sense of 'small' or 'delicate,' which fits the fern or vetch plants that are often small and fine.

Characters with Radical 艹

䕭qián兹zī艺yì艻lè艽jiāo艾ài/yì艿nǎi节jiē/jié芄wán芈mǐ

Other 16-Stroke Characters

儒rú冀jì凝níng劓yì嘴zuǐ噤jìn器qì噩è噪zào噫yī