How to Write 馔 (zhuàn) — Meaning “delicacy or meal”

Think of 饣 (food) on the left and 巽 (which looks like a pair of hands arranging things) on the right — imagine a chef skillfully arranging a beautiful dish. This visual of "hands arranging food" helps recall the meaning of a special meal or delicacy.

The right part 巽 has nine strokes and must be written with the top 巳 (sì) correctly — do not confuse it with 已 or 己. Also, the bottom is 廾 (two hands), not 大, so keep the two vertical strokes separate. Total 15 strokes, with 饣 taking 3 strokes on the left.

馔 (zhuàn) means a fine meal or delicacy, focusing on high-quality food. 餍 (yàn) means to be full or satisfied after eating. 馍 (mó) refers to steamed bread or bun, a common staple food. Visually, 餍 has an extra 厂-like top, while 馍 uses 莫 as its phonetic component.

馔 appears mostly in elegant, literary, or formal contexts, such as descriptions of luxurious banquets. Common words like 佳馔 (fine food) and 珍馔 (delicacies) are used in restaurant names or food reviews. It is not common in daily conversation but adds a classical, refined flavor when writing about cuisine.

Common words containing 馔 include: 佳馔 (jiā zhuàn) — Fine food; 盛馔 (shèng zhuàn) — sumptuous feast; fine food; 珍馔 (zhēn zhuàn) — Fine food; delicacies.