How to Write 甾 (zāi) — Meaning “Steroid (chemical radical)”

Imagine a field (田) with three chemical bonds on top, like a steroid molecule. The three lines can also be seen as a crown, reminding you that steroids are important 'crown' compounds in biology. The pronunciation 'zāi' sounds like 'za' in 'zap' — think of zapping a field with steroids.

The top part consists of three diagonal strokes — write them from left to right or top to bottom, keeping them small and centered above the 田. A common mistake is making the top strokes too large or uneven. The 田 below should fill the lower half of the character with equal spacing.

The main difference is the top component: 甾 has three diagonal strokes (like three short lines), 男 has 力 (strength) which looks like a hook, and 甸 has 勹 (wrap) which is like an enclosure. Their meanings are also different: 男 means 'man,' 甸 means 'suburb,' while 甾 is a scientific character for steroids.

甾 is almost exclusively used in chemistry and biology, such as in the words 甾体 (steroid) and 甾醇 (sterol). You will not find it in daily conversations or common texts. It is important for students studying biochemistry or medical science.

Common words containing 甾 include: 甾体 (zāi tǐ) — Steroid; 甾醇 (zāi chún) — Sterol; 甾族 (zāi zú) — Steroid group.