How to Write 园 (yuán) — Meaning “Garden / Park”

Imagine a square park (the 囗 enclosure) with a sign inside that says "Yuan" (元), like a name tag. The word "yuan" sounds like "you are" – so think "you are in the garden" to link the sound and meaning.

Write the outer box first: left vertical, then top and right in one stroke, and finally the bottom horizontal. The inner part 元 must fit neatly inside the box, with its two horizontal lines and the curved stroke not touching the enclosure walls.

园 has the inner part 元 (which looks like a head or source), while 囚 has 人 (a person) inside, meaning a prisoner. 四 has a different inner shape (like two short lines) and means the number four, not a place.

园 is used in common words like 公园 (park), 花园 (garden), and 校园 (campus). It also appears in famous cultural terms like 苏州园林 (Suzhou classical gardens), which are UNESCO World Heritage sites known for their beautiful design.

Common words containing 园 include: 公园 (gōng yuán) — Park; 花园 (huā yuán) — Garden; 校园 (xiào yuán) — Campus.