How to Write 椰 (yē) — Meaning “Coconut”

Picture a tall coconut tree (木) standing next to a man wearing earplugs — the right part 耶 looks like a person’s head with two ears (阝on left) and a big open mouth (卩). Imagine him shouting "Yay! (yē)" with a coconut in his hand to recall the pinyin.

The left radical 木 must be narrow, with its last stroke becoming a dot instead of a full right-falling stroke to leave room for the right side. The right part 耶 has a tall left ear (阝) and a balanced right part 卩; keep the overall character width equal and avoid making the right side too small.

椰 (coconut) always includes 木 plus 耶, while 柴 (firewood) is 木 plus 此 (cǐ) and means wood for fuel. 栓 (bolt/latch) uses 木 plus 全 (quán) and refers to a wooden peg or stopper. Visually, 椰 has a more complex right side with distinct ear and knot components.

椰 appears in words for coconut products like 椰子 (coconut fruit), 椰奶 (coconut milk), and 椰蓉 (shredded coconut). It is common in southern China and tropical regions, and coconut-based foods are popular in dim sum and desserts. The character is not in HSK but is useful for travel or food-related vocabulary.

Common words containing 椰 include: 椰子 (yē zi) — Coconut; 椰奶 (yē nǎi) — Coconut milk; 椰蓉 (yē róng) — shredded coconut.