How to Write 畛 (zhěn) — Meaning “Field path or boundary”

Imagine a field (田) with a thin, straight path (the right side 㐱 looks like a winding line) cutting through it — that path is the 畛. This visual helps you connect the field component to the idea of a boundary line.

Pay attention to the stroke order: write the left 田 first (enclosure then inner cross), then the right 㐱 — which starts with a short left-falling stroke, followed by a horizontal and a right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep it narrow so the character stays balanced.

畛 (zhěn) has a field radical 田 on the left and a different right side, while 画 (huà) is entirely different — it means 'to draw' and has a box-like top with 田 inside. 甾 (zāi) also contains 田 on the top or left, but its right side is different (a chemical term), so the main difference is the right half.

This character is rare in everyday speech and appears mostly in classical or formal writing, especially in the word 畛域 (zhěn yù), meaning 'boundary' or 'domain.' It carries a literary, traditional flavor and is not part of the common HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 畛 include: 畛域 (zhěn yù) — Boundary or domain; 畛 (zhěn) — Field path or boundary.