How to Write 橼 (yuán) — Meaning “citron”

Imagine a tree (木) that grows a fruit shaped like a round "yuan" coin – a citron is a large, round, yellow citrus fruit. You can also think: "The tree (木) gives you (you sounds like yuán) a citron." This connects the sound yuán and the wood radical to the fruit.

Write the left radical 木 first (four strokes: horizontal, vertical, left-falling, right-falling). Then write the right component 爰 (nine strokes): start with the top claw (爫), then the middle 一, then 女 (three strokes), and finally the bottom 又 (two strokes). A common mistake is confusing 爰 with 爱 – note that 爰 does not have the heart radical 心.

橼 (citron) has 爰 on the right, while 榕 (banyan tree) has 容, and 榍 (a type of tree – rare) has 屑. Visually, 橼’s right part is more complex with several levels; 榕’s right part is 容 (roof + valley). In meaning, 橼 refers specifically to the citron fruit and tree, whereas 榕 is a large tropical fig tree.

橼 is not a common character in daily conversation – it appears mainly in botanical or food contexts. The word 香橼 (xiāng yuán) means "citron" (the fruit), and 佛手橼 (fó shǒu yuán) is "Buddha's hand citron," a variety often used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a fragrant offering in temples.

Common words containing 橼 include: 香橼 (xiāng yuán) — citron; 橼皮 (yuán pí) — citron peel; 佛手橼 (fó shǒu yuán) — Buddha's hand citron.