How to Write 植 (zhí) — Meaning “To plant / vegetation”

Picture a straight (直) tree (木) being planted into the ground. The tree stands upright and straight after you plant it. This image connects the two parts to the action of planting.

Write the left radical 木 narrow and slightly shorter, with its horizontal stroke kept short to make room for the right part. The right part 直 has three horizontal lines: the middle one is the longest, and the bottom one is the shortest. A common mistake is making the left 木 too wide, which makes the character unbalanced.

All three use the 木 radical, but the right side is different. 植 uses 直 and means 'to plant' or 'vegetation'. 柴 uses 此 (this) and means 'firewood'. 栓 uses 全 (complete) and means 'bolt' or 'cork'. Visually, look at the top part of the right side: 植 has a straight vertical line, 柴 has a sideways 止, and 栓 has a 人 on top.

植 appears in common words like 植物 (plant) and 植树 (to plant trees). It is used in environmental topics, such as 植树节 (Arbor Day, March 12), which is a cultural event in China where many people go out to plant trees. You will also see it in scientific or agricultural contexts.

Common words containing 植 include: 植物 (zhí wù) — Plant; 种植 (zhòng zhí) — To plant; to cultivate.; 植树 (zhí shù) — To plant trees.