How to Write 渲 (xuàn) — Meaning “To wash (in painting) or play up”

Picture a painter dipping their brush in water (氵) and then declaring (宣) that the wash will make the scene dramatic. The word "render" sounds similar to "ran" in 渲染, helping you link the character to its meaning of playing up details.

Write the three dots of the water radical first, then the right side 宣 starting with the top dot and horizontal cover (宀). A common mistake is making the lower part of 宣 too tall or misplacing the final horizontal stroke — keep the 日-like section compact and balanced with the left radical.

Unlike 流 (liú, "to flow") which has a flowing river meaning and a different right component, 渲 is used almost exclusively in the word 渲染. 浙 (zhè) refers to the Zhejiang province and uses the right component 折 (break), so visually the right sides are distinct: 宣 vs. 㐬 in 流 and 折 in 浙.

渲 appears mainly in the compound 渲染 (xuàn rǎn), which means both "to wash color in painting" and "to exaggerate or play up" in media. In traditional Chinese painting, 渲染 is a technique where water and ink are layered to create depth, and today you often hear it in news or discussions about dramatic stories.

Common words containing 渲 include: 渲染 (xuàn rǎn) — To play up or exaggerate.