How to Write 滋 (zī) — Meaning “nourish; grow; taste”

Imagine water (氵) dripping onto grass (䒑) and silk (幺) to make them grow and become flavorful. This picture of water nourishing both plants and fabric helps you recall that 滋 means 'nourish' and 'taste'.

Write the water radical 氵 first (three strokes), then the right part 兹 starting with the top grass component 䒑, followed by two 幺 stacks. A common mistake is writing the right side as only one 幺 or misplacing the horizontal strokes in 兹, so practice the balanced stacking.

滋 has the right side 兹, while 流 uses 㐬 and means 'flow', and 浙 uses 折 and refers to the Zhe River. Visually, 滋 looks more complex on the right, and its meanings focus on nourishment and flavor rather than movement or a place name.

滋 appears in common words like 滋味 (taste, flavor), 滋润 (moist, to nourish), and 滋生 (breed, multiply). It often describes physical moisture or sensory flavor, and is also used metaphorically for a comfortable life, as in 滋润的日子.

Common words containing 滋 include: 滋味 (zī wèi) — taste; flavor; 滋润 (zī rùn) — moist; to nourish; 滋生 (zī shēng) — breed; multiply; create.