How to Write 月 (yuè) — Meaning “month; moon”

Imagine the character 月 as a crescent moon with two horizontal lines across it, like the phases of the moon. You can also think of it as a window frame with a moon outside, helping you remember it means 'moon' and 'month'.

Start with the left vertical stroke, then the upper horizontal stroke, followed by the two inner horizontal strokes, and finally the right vertical stroke. A common mistake is making the two inner strokes too long or uneven; they should be short and parallel, leaving space at the bottom.

月 (yuè) means moon/month, while 有 (yǒu) means to have and includes an extra horizontal stroke at the top left. 肋 (lèi) means rib and has a different right component (力). Visually, 月 has two inner horizontal strokes, 有 has one horizontal stroke crossing the top, and 肋 has a hook on the right side.

月 is used in everyday words like 月亮 (moon) and 月份 (month). It is also central to the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people celebrate the full moon with mooncakes, symbolizing reunion and harmony.

Common words containing 月 include: 月亮 (yuè liàng) — the moon; 月份 (yuè fèn) — month; 一个月 (yí gè yuè) — one month.