How to Write 渥 (wò) — Meaning “To moisten or enrich”

Imagine a house (屋) getting completely soaked by water (氵) during a heavy rain—the water enriches the house, making it "moist." This visual of a house being watered strongly connects the components to the meaning of moistening or enriching.

Write the water radical 氵 first with three dots in a smooth left-to-right curve, then the right side 屋. Pay attention to the proportions: the left radical is narrow, and the right part 屋 is wider; the 尸 at the top of 屋 should be small, and the 至 below must not be too tall. A common mistake is making the right side too square—keep it balanced but slightly compressed vertically.

渥 has the right side 屋 (house), while 流 has its right side as a phonetic component (liú) with a winding shape, and 浙 has 折 (zhé) on the right. In meaning, 渥 is about enriching with moisture, 流 means flow, and 浙 is the name of a river (Zhejiang). Visually, 渥 looks fuller on the right, compared to 流's curvy strokes and 浙's flat right side.

渥 is not common in daily speech but appears in formal or written language, especially in the word 优渥 meaning generous or ample, like in "待遇优渥" (generous treatment). It is also used in the place name 渥太华 (Ottawa, capital of Canada), so learners may encounter it in geography or news. The character has a classical, literary feel.

Common words containing 渥 include: 渥太华 (wò tài huá) — Ottawa; 优渥 (yōu wò) — Generous; ample; liberal.; 渥然 (wò rán) — Glossy or moist.