How to Write 雪 (xuě) — Meaning “snow”

Imagine rain (雨) falling from the sky, but it is so cold that it turns into snowflakes. You catch them with your hand (彐) — that is snow! This visual helps you recall both the top and bottom parts.

Write the top radical 雨 first: horizontal, vertical, hook, vertical, then four dots. The bottom 彐 starts with a horizontal fold (横折), then two horizontal lines. A common mistake is making the bottom part too narrow or writing it as three separate lines without the fold.

雪 has 彐 at the bottom and means 'snow'. 雩 has 于 at the bottom and is a rare character meaning 'to pray for rain'. 雯 has 文 at the bottom and means 'patterned clouds', often used in names. The bottom component is the main visual difference.

雪 is very common for talking about snow and snowy weather, like 下雪 (to snow) and 滑雪 (skiing). It also appears in cultural references, such as 白雪公主 (Snow White). In poetry, snow often symbolizes purity and winter beauty.

Common words containing 雪 include: 下雪 (xià xuě) — to snow; 雪人 (xuě rén) — snowman; 滑雪 (huá xuě) — skiing.