How to Write 梧 (wú) — Meaning “parasol tree”

Imagine a wooden sign (木) on a parasol tree with the word 'wu' written on it, since 吾 sounds like 'wu'. Another trick is to think of a 'woo' sound made by wind through the tree leaves. This connects the tree radical with the pronunciation part.

Write the left side 木 first with four strokes, then the right side 吾 with seven strokes. A common mistake is making the three horizontal strokes in 吾 too close or uneven; keep them parallel and evenly spaced. Also, the vertical stroke in 吾 should align roughly with the center of the 木 component.

梧 (parasol tree) has 吾 on the right, while 枯 (withered) has 古 (old), and 枰 (chessboard) has 平 (flat). Visually, 枯 uses a different component, and 枰 has a horizontal line crossing the middle. In meaning, 梧 is a specific tree, 枯 means dried or withered, and 枰 refers to a chessboard.

梧 appears in the common word 梧桐 (parasol tree), used in nature descriptions and place names. The compound 魁梧 (well-built) also uses 梧, though the meaning comes from a different context. Culturally, the parasol tree in Chinese poetry often symbolizes autumn, loneliness, or waiting, making it a poetic image.

Common words containing 梧 include: 梧桐 (wú tóng) — Chinese parasol tree; 梧叶 (wú yè) — parasol tree leaf; 魁梧 (kuí wú) — Well-built.