How to Write 瓮 (wèng) — Meaning “urn or large jar”

Imagine a large clay jar in a public square, because 公 means 'public' and 瓦 means 'clay'. This picture helps you link the character to its meaning of a big urn. You can also remember the sound by thinking of the echo 'weng weng' that a jar makes when tapped.

Write the top part 公 with a narrow width — two strokes (撇 and 捺) then a 撇折 and a small 点. Then write the bottom 瓦 with a horizontal stroke, vertical lift, a curved hook, and a dot. A common mistake is making the top too wide or forgetting the dot in 瓦. Keep the overall shape balanced and compact.

瓮 (wèng) is a large jar or urn for storing water or wine. 瓯 (ōu) is a small bowl or cup, often made of pottery. 瓴 (líng) refers to a kind of roof tile or a water container with a narrow top. Visually, 瓮 contains 公, 瓯 contains 区, and 瓴 contains 令 — each with different pronunciation and usage.

瓮 is not common in everyday speech, but it appears in idioms like 瓮中捉鳖 (wèng zhōng zhuō biē), meaning 'catch a turtle in a jar — a sure thing'. It is also used in historical or literary contexts to describe ancient storage jars, such as 酒瓮 (wine jar) or 水瓮 (water urn). Understanding this character helps you read classical texts and traditional stories.

Common words containing 瓮 include: 水瓮 (shuǐ wèng) — Water urn; 酒瓮 (jiǔ wèng) — Wine jar / Urn; 瓮中 (wèng zhōng) — inside the jar.