How to Write 屿 (yǔ) — Meaning “Islet”

Imagine a small mountain (山) poking out of the sea, and next to it a fish (the right part 与 looks like a fish jumping) — this reminds you that an islet is a small landform in the water. The picture of a fish near a mountain helps link the shape to the meaning of "islet."

The left radical 山 should be written narrow, with the middle vertical stroke a bit shorter than the outer strokes. The right part 与 starts with a horizontal stroke, then a vertical hook, and finally two dots inside — avoid making the right side too wide, as the character should stay balanced.

屿 has the mountain radical and means "islet," while 屹 (yì) means "to tower" or "stand erect" and 屺 (qǐ) means "mountain without vegetation." Visually, 屿 has 与 on the right, 屹 has 乞, and 屺 has 己; each right part gives a different meaning and pronunciation.

屿 appears mainly in geographical terms such as 岛屿 (islands and islets) and in place names for small islands. It is not common in everyday conversation but is used in formal writing, maps, and descriptions of coastal scenery.

Common words containing 屿 include: 岛屿 (dǎo yǔ) — Islands and islets; 小屿 (xiǎo yǔ) — Islet; small island; 屿仔 (yǔ zǎi) — Small islet.