The orchid is one of China's traditional famous flowers.
Tips
culture
兰 (orchid) is one of the 'Four Gentlemen' (四君子) in Chinese art, symbolizing refinement and integrity. The others are plum blossom, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.
Components
ideograph
兰lán
orchid
Drastically simplified from 蘭 (艹 grass + 闌 phonetic). The PRC reform rebuilt the character from cursive shorthand into 丷 over three horizontal strokes; the pieces no longer separate cleanly into independent productive components. No canonical Kangxi assignment survives the reform; modern schemes file 兰 under 八 or 丷 by the top divider.
Filed under radical 八 (bā, #12) by convention. 八 is not a separate component in 兰, so no strokes are highlighted.
