How to Write 珠 (zhū) — Meaning “Pearl; bead”

Imagine a king (王) wearing a crown that has a red bead on top, and the right side 朱 looks like the bead. The red color reminds you of the word '朱' which itself can mean vermilion, helping you associate the shape with a pearl.

Pay attention to the balance between the left 王 and right 朱. The left side should be narrow, and the right side's vertical stroke must be straight and slightly longer than the left's. A common mistake is making the right side's top horizontal too long, which makes the character unbalanced.

Though all share the jade radical 王, the right parts are different. 珠 has 朱 (meaning red or a sound component), while 玟 has 文 (pattern) and 玡 has 牙 (tooth). 珠 means pearl or bead, 玟 refers to jade patterns, and 玡 is a specific type of jade, so they are used in very different contexts.

珠 appears in common words like 珍珠 (pearl) and 珠宝 (jewelry). It also appears in metaphorical phrases like 汗珠 (beads of sweat) to describe small round drops. In Chinese culture, pearls symbolize purity and are often given as gifts to represent preciousness and elegance.

Common words containing 珠 include: 珍珠 (zhēn zhū) — Pearl; 珠宝 (zhū bǎo) — Jewelry; jewels; 汗珠 (hàn zhū) — beads of sweat.