How to Write 桅 (wéi) — Meaning “mast”

Imagine a tall wooden pole on a ship — the left side 木 is the wood, and the right side 危 looks like a person standing dangerously high up. Picture a sailor climbing the mast, which is a risky (危) wooden (木) structure. This visual links the components to the meaning 'mast'.

Write the left radical 木 first (horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling), then the right part 危 (starting with a left-falling stroke, then horizontal hook, horizontal, horizontal, and finally a vertical hook). A common mistake is making the right side too wide or forgetting the final hook in 危, which changes the shape. Keep the left side narrow and the right side balanced.

桅 (wéi) specifically means a ship's mast, with the right side 危. 杪 (miǎo) means the tip of a branch or end of a twig, and its right side is 少 (few/small). 杭 (háng) refers to a boat or ferry, with the right side 亢 (kàng). Unlike 桅, 杪 and 杭 are not about masts but about tree tips and boats respectively.

桅 appears mainly in maritime contexts, such as in the common word 桅杆 (wéi gān, mast) or 桅灯 (wéi dēng, masthead light). It is not used in everyday conversation but is found in sailing, shipping, or historical literature. Culturally, the mast symbolizes exploration and adventure, often appearing in stories of ancient Chinese voyages like Zheng He's fleet.

Common words containing 桅 include: 桅杆 (wéi gān) — mast (of a ship); 桅灯 (wéi dēng) — masthead light; lantern; 桅顶 (wéi dǐng) — masthead; top of the mast.