How to Write 熨 (yù/yùn) — Meaning “to iron; to press (clothes)”

Imagine a hot iron (火) that looks like a small fire, and on the right, picture a person (尉) holding a handle (寸) and pressing down on a cloth (尸 and 示). This helps you remember the combination of heat and pressing action.

The left radical 火 should be written narrow and tall, with strokes: dot, left-falling, right-falling. The right part 尉 starts with 尸 (horizontal stroke first), then inside 示, and finally 寸 at the bottom; the whole right side should be balanced. A common mistake is making the 火 too wide or forgetting the dot in 示.

All three have the 火 radical, but the right sides differ. 熨 has 尉 and means to iron clothes, while 煅 has 段 and means to forge or heat metal, and 煆 has 叚 and means to broil or roast. Their pronunciations and uses are completely separate, so focus on the right side to tell them apart.

You use 熨 in words like 熨烫 (yùn tàng, to iron) and 熨斗 (yùn dǒu, an iron for clothes). In China, ironing is common for formal wear, and the word 熨帖 (yù tiē) can also describe a comfortable, well-settled feeling, like after a good meal or a perfect fit.

Common words containing 熨 include: 熨烫 (yùn tàng) — To iron (clothes).; 熨斗 (yùn dǒu) — iron (for clothes); 熨帖 (yù tiē) — Comfortable; appropriate; well-settled..