How to Write 渣 (zhā) — Meaning “Residue or dregs”

Picture a tea bag (the shape of 查) sitting in water (氵) to make tea. After brewing, the leftover tea leaves at the bottom are the "渣" or dregs. This image ties the water radical and the "examine" part to the idea of residue.

Write the three dots of the water radical (氵) narrowly and from top to bottom. The right side 查 starts with a horizontal stroke, then a vertical, and the bottom 木 should be balanced—a common mistake is making the left side too wide. Also, the horizontal stroke in the middle of 查 should be shorter than the bottom one.

渣 has 查 on the right and means "dregs," while 流 has a different right part (㐬) and means "to flow." 浙 also uses the water radical but with 折 on the right, and it stands for Zhejiang province. Visually, 渣's right side has a clear 木, while 流 has a curving stroke and 浙 includes 斤.

渣 appears in words like 豆腐渣 (tofu dregs) for physical residue, and in slang like 人渣 (scum) or 渣男 (bad boyfriend) to describe worthless or untrustworthy people. This negative metaphor is very common in Chinese internet culture, making 渣 a strong insult when used for character.

Common words containing 渣 include: 渣子 (zhā zi) — Dregs or crumbs; 豆腐渣 (dòu fǔ zhā) — tofu dregs; okara; 残渣 (cán zhā) — residue; dregs; waste.