How to Write 埴 (zhí) — Meaning “clay / loamy soil”

Imagine a straight line of wet clay being shaped on a potter's wheel—the left side 土 represents the earth, and the right side 直 looks like a straight, tall vase. This visual of 'straight earth' being molded into a clay object can help you recall both the shape and meaning.

Write the left radical 土 first (horizontal, vertical, horizontal), then the right component 直 starting with a horizontal stroke, followed by vertical, then the inner horizontal lines. A common mistake is to make the bottom horizontal of 直 too long; keep it shorter than the top horizontal to maintain balance.

埴 (zhí) means 'clay soil' and contains 土 plus 直, while 型 (xíng) means 'model' or 'mold' and has the radical 土 plus 刑, which relates to a form or punishment. 垌 (dòng) means 'cave' or 'field' and uses the radical 土 plus 同; unlike 埴, it does not refer to clay.

埴 is a less common character mainly used in specialized terms like 埴土 (clay soil), 陶埴 (pottery clay), or 粘埴 (clayey soil). It appears in archaeological or geological writing about ancient pottery and soil types, reflecting China's long history of ceramic craftsmanship.

Common words containing 埴 include: 埴土 (zhí tǔ) — clay soil; 陶埴 (táo zhí) — pottery clay; 粘埴 (zhān zhí) — clayey soil; clay.