How to Write 著 (zhù) — Meaning “to write / famous”

Imagine a famous author (者) sitting under a grass umbrella (艹) writing books. This combines the ideas of writing and being famous, which are the two main meanings of 著.

Start with the grass radical 艹, making it wide to cover the lower part. Then write 者 with a left-falling stroke first, then horizontal, vertical, horizontal, and finally the 日 component. A common mistake is making the lower part too tall; keep it centered and compact.

著 has 者 below (person), while 兹 has 玄 (dark) instead, and 苧 has 宁 (peace). Visually, 著 is taller and wider. Usage: 著 means "to write" or "famous", 兹 means "this" or "now", and 苧 refers to a plant (ramie).

著 is used in formal contexts such as 著名 (famous), 著作 (written work), and 显著 (significant). It often appears in academic or literary settings, like book titles. Culturally, being 著名 is a mark of high respect, especially for scholars and artists.

Common words containing 著 include: 著名 (zhù míng) — famous / well-known; 著作 (zhù zuò) — work / book / writing; 显著 (xiǎn zhù) — significant; notable.