How to Write 箦 (zé) — Meaning “bamboo mat”

Imagine a bamboo mat (竹) that you are responsible for (责) rolling up after a picnic. The top part 竹 stands for bamboo, and the bottom part 责 sounds like 'ze' as in 'zeppelin' — picture a huge zeppelin landing on a bamboo mat. This visual helps you connect the form to the meaning.

First write the radical 竹 as two short left-slanting strokes (撇), then two horizontal strokes, and then vertical hooks — note the left side is slightly smaller. Then write 责: start with the horizontal stroke, then the vertical, then the three horizontal strokes, followed by 贝 (shell) at the bottom. Make sure the top 竹 does not extend too wide, and the middle part of 责 is centered under the bamboo.

箦 (bamboo mat) has the radical 竹 plus 责, while 筀 (guì) is a different character often meaning a type of bamboo or a bamboo container — it uses 圭 (gui) as phonetic. 筅 (xiǎn) means a bamboo brush or whisk, and uses 先 (xiān). Visually, 箦 has the 贝 component inside 责, whereas 筀 has two 土 (earth) stacked, and 筅 has 先 with a different lower part. Their meanings and pronunciations are all distinct.

箦 is rarely used in everyday modern Chinese, but it appears in classical texts and in words like 竹箦 (bamboo mat for sleeping) and 席箦 (bamboo mat). In traditional Chinese culture, bamboo mats were common household items for sleeping or sitting, especially in rural areas. Today you might encounter this character in historical novels or descriptions of ancient furniture.

Common words containing 箦 include: 竹箦 (zhú zé) — Bamboo mat (for sleeping); 席箦 (xí zé) — Bamboo mat.; 铺箦 (pù zé) — To lay a mat on a bed.