How to Write 颛 (zhuān) — Meaning “simple / honest / (used in names)”

Imagine a mountain (山) sitting on top of a head (页) — a simple person with a mountain-sized honest mind. Or, connect it to the ancient emperor 颛顼 (Zhuanxu), known for his upright character.

Write the left part 耑 first: start with 山 (3 strokes), then 而 (6 strokes), making the left side a bit narrower. Then add the right 页 (6 strokes), keeping the whole character balanced. A common mistake is making the left side too wide, so they squeeze the right 页.

颛 has the left part 耑 (looking like 山 on top of 而), while 颐 has 臣 (a different shape) on the left, and 频 has 步 (step) on the left. Visually, 颛's left side is taller and more complex, and it is pronounced zhuān, not yí or pín.

颛 is very rare and mainly used in historical names like 颛顼 (Zhuanxu, a legendary emperor) and in literary terms such as 颛民 (simple people) or 颛蒙 (ignorant). You will not see it in everyday conversation, but it appears in classical writings and cultural discussions.

Common words containing 颛 include: 颛顼 (zhuān xū) — Zhuanxu (a legendary ancient emperor); 颛民 (zhuān mín) — Simple and honest people; 颛蒙 (zhuān méng) — Ignorant and uninformed.