How to Write 苡 (yǐ) — Meaning “Job's tears (plant)”

Imagine a grass (艹) that you 'use' (以) to make a healthy tea or porridge. The plant Job's tears is known for its seeds used in soups and drinks, so think of using the grass for your health. This links the visual parts to the character's meaning.

Write the grass radical 艹 first with two horizontal strokes and a vertical stroke, then write the lower part 以. A common mistake is making the lower part too wide; the 以 component should be compact, with the first stroke (a slanted hook) not extending too far left. Keep the overall shape balanced and not too tall.

苡 (yǐ) has the grass radical 艹 over 以, while 兹 (zī/cí) has the grass radical over 玄 (mysterious). 兹 often means 'this' or 'now' and is not a plant name. 艻 (lè) is very rare and has the radical 艹 over 力 (strength), not 以. Visually, the lower part is key: 苡 uses 以, 兹 uses 玄, and 艻 uses 力.

苡 is rarely used alone; it appears in compound words like 薏苡 (yì yǐ, Job's tears plant) and 薏苡仁 (yì yǐ rén, Coix seed). These seeds are valued in traditional Chinese medicine for their health benefits, often used in soups or teas to reduce inflammation and aid digestion.

Common words containing 苡 include: 薏苡仁 (yì yǐ rén) — Coix seed; 苡米 (yǐ mǐ) — Job's tears / coix seed; 薏苡 (yì yǐ) — Job's tears (plant).