How to Write 簪 (zān) — Meaning “hairpin”

Imagine a bamboo stick (竹) that has been carved into a beautiful hairpin with a curved, decorative end. The bottom part of the character looks like a profile of a person wearing a tiny hat, which reminds you of a hairpin placed in a bun.

Write the bamboo radical (竹) first, making sure both left and right parts are balanced and not too small. Then write the bottom part with multiple horizontal strokes that are parallel and evenly spaced — a common mistake is to make the bottom too tall or to misplace the diagonal strokes.

簪 has a bottom part that looks like a person's head or a curved pin, while 篙 contains 高 (tall) below and means a boat pole, and 篚 has a box-like bottom and means a round basket. Visually, 簪 is more complex in the lower section with strokes that curve inward.

簪 appears in words like 发簪 (fā zān, hairpin) and 玉簪 (yù zān, jade hairpin), mostly in historical or cultural discussions about traditional hairstyles and accessories. In ancient China, hairpins were status symbols — jade or gold hairpins indicated wealth and rank, and both men and women used them to secure their hair buns.

Common words containing 簪 include: 发簪 (fā zān) — traditional hairpin; 玉簪 (yù zān) — Jade hairpin; 簪子 (zān zi) — hairpin.