How to Write 篆 (zhuàn) — Meaning “seal script”

Imagine the bamboo top (竹) as a brush, and the bottom part 彖 looks like a carved seal stamp. Picture yourself using a bamboo brush to write elegant seal script characters on a stamp, linking the shape to the art of seal carving.

Keep the top bamboo part narrow and compact, with two small '个' shapes. The bottom section 彖 contains many strokes, especially the 豕 (pig) component with a hook; avoid making the top too wide or the bottom too tall, as that ruins the balanced proportion.

筠 (yún) has a bamboo top with 均 below, meaning a smooth bamboo skin, while 筢 (pá) has bamboo top with 耙, meaning a bamboo rake. In contrast, 篆 specifically means 'seal script' or 'seal carving' and has a more complex bottom with 豕, not 匀 or 巴.

Today, 篆 appears in words like 篆书 (seal script calligraphy style) and 篆刻 (seal carving, a traditional art form). It carries cultural importance as it represents an ancient, elegant writing style often used on personal seals and in art, symbolizing tradition and sophistication.

Common words containing 篆 include: 篆书 (zhuàn shū) — seal script (calligraphy style); 篆刻 (zhuàn kè) — seal cutting or engraving; 小篆 (xiǎo zhuàn) — Small Seal Script.