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竹

Character guide

Chinese Tattoo 竹: Meaning, Strokes & Design Guide

竹 is the character for bamboo. It is open, legible and often chosen for resilience, flexibility and quiet strength.

Pinyin zhúStrokes 6Radical ⽵ 118

What does 竹 mean?

竹 means bamboo. It can also appear in words related to bamboo objects, and it is the Kangxi radical used in characters connected to bamboo. The basic meaning is concrete, which makes it easier to verify than a highly interpretive phrase.

Is 竹 suitable for a tattoo?

Yes, if bamboo is the meaning you want and you accept that it is a literal character rather than a magical phrase. With six strokes, 竹 stays legible at moderate sizes and works well in regular script. It is a good choice when you want a clean, open character rather than a dense block.

Design notes

ScriptBold regular script keeps the strokes countable. Semi-cursive adds movement but makes verification harder.
ScaleKeep enough space around each vertical stroke. Avoid squeezing it into a narrow wrist band.
OrientationDo not mirror or rotate the character. Freehand redrawing is the fastest way to change it into a different shape.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming bamboo automatically means “resilience” in every Chinese context.
  • Using a fine, highly cursive style at a small size.
  • Copying a tattoo-gallery image without checking the exact character.

Related pages

All character guidesHow we verifyTattoo character pack

竹 versus 竹子 and 竹林

竹 is the character for bamboo and also appears in words related to bamboo objects. 竹子 is the ordinary noun for a bamboo plant, while 竹林 means a bamboo grove. The single character is broader and often used in names, art and symbolic design.

Resilience is a cultural association

Bamboo is associated with flexibility, resilience and integrity in Chinese culture, but the character itself does not contain a promise of those qualities. The association comes from cultural interpretation and the way bamboo behaves in wind and weather.

Design review

竹 has 6 strokes and works well in regular script. Keep the two vertical sections balanced and avoid a very decorative form that merges the strokes. The simple structure makes small inconsistencies visible, so line quality matters.