How to Write 潍 (wéi) — Meaning “Wei (name of a river)”

Imagine a river (氵) that needs to be maintained (维) – the Wei River in China. You can also think of the famous city 潍坊 (Weifang), which is known for its kite festival, and remember that 潍 is the first character of that city name.

Write the left radical 氵 first with three strokes (dot, dot, short horizontal). Then write the right side 维: start with the silk radical 纟 (three strokes) and then add 隹 (eight strokes) for a total of 14 strokes. Keep the left side narrow and the right side slightly wider to balance the character.

潍 (wéi) is used only for the Wei River and Weifang city. 渝 (yú) means "to change" or names a different river, and its right side is 俞. 渡 (dù) means "to cross (a river)" and its right side is 度. Visually, the right parts are completely different: 维 vs 俞 vs 度.

潍 appears almost exclusively in proper names, especially 潍坊 (Weifang), a city in Shandong famous for its kite-making tradition, and 潍河 (the Wei River). You will see it on maps, travel guides, and in cultural contexts like the Weifang International Kite Festival.

Common words containing 潍 include: 潍坊 (wéi fāng) — Weifang (a city in Shandong); 潍河 (wéi hé) — Wei River; 潍坊风筝 (wéi fāng fēng zhēng) — Weifang kites.