Radicals (bù shǒu) are common "components" used in Chinese characters. Rather than remembering all the strokes of a Chinese character, it's
sometimes easier to remember the radicals, which are frequently used as components in Chinese characters. As you study Chinese,
you will notice a repeating pattern of radicals being used.
The following table lists some commonly used basic radicals (parantheses denotes traditional character used in Hong Kong and Taiwan):
| |
Radical |
Meaning |
Pīnyīn |
Example |
| 1 |
亻 |
person |
rén |
你 you (nǐ) |
| 2 |
彳 |
road, walking |
chì |
街 street (jiē),
往 toward (wǎng)
|
| 3 |
氵 |
water |
shuǐ |
河 river (hé),
洗 wash (xǐ)
|
| 4 |
冫 |
ice |
bīng |
冰 ice (bīng),
冻 freeze (dòng)
|
| 5 |
火 |
fire / burning |
huǒ |
灯 lamp (dēng),
烧 burn (shāo)
|
| 6 |
灬 |
fire / fire from below |
huǒ |
蒸 steam (zhēng),
热 hot (rè)
|
| 7 |
日 |
day, sun, time |
rì |
时 time (shí),
晴 sunny (qíng)
|
| 8 |
月 |
moon, month |
yuè |
明 tomorrow (míng),
服 clothes (fú)
|
| 9 |
门 (門) |
door |
mén |
间 room (jiān),
闭 shut (bì)
|
| 10 |
女 |
female, woman |
nǚ |
好 good (hǎo),
妈 mother (mā)
|
| 11 |
子 |
child |
zǐ |
孩 child (hái),
孙 grandchild (sūn)
|
| 12 |
扌 |
hand |
shǒu |
推 push (tuī),
拉 pull (lā)
|
| 13 |
讠(訁) |
word, language, speech |
yán |
说 say (shuō),
语 language (yǔ)
|
| 14 |
艹 |
grass |
cǎo |
花 flower (huā),
菜 vegetable (cài)
|
| 15 |
土 |
earth, soil |
tǔ |
地 ground (dì),
場 field (chǎng)
|
| 16 |
钅(釒) |
metal |
jīn |
银 silver (yín),
铁 iron (tiě)
|
| 17 |
饣(飠) |
food, eat |
shí |
饭 rice/meal (fàn),
饮 drink (yǐn)
|
| 18 |
木 |
tree, wood |
mù |
林 forest (lín),
树 tree (shù)
|
| 19 |
⺮ |
bamboo |
zhú |
笔 pen (bǐ),
简 simple (jiǎn)
|
| 20 |
⻊ |
foot |
zú |
踢 kick (tī),
跑 run (pǎo)
|
| 21 |
⻌ |
walk, action, period of time |
chuò / zouzhi |
進 enter (jìn),
远 far (yuǎn)
|
| 22 |
纟(糹) |
silk, thread, string |
mì |
线 thread (xiàn),
丝 silk (sī)
|
| 23 |
宀 |
roof |
mián |
家 home/family (jiā),
室 room (shì)
|
| 24 |
口 |
mouth, opening |
kǒu |
唱 sing (chàng),
和 and (hé)
|
| 25 |
囗 |
boundary, enclosure |
wéi |
国 country (guó),
园 garden (yuán)
|
| 26 |
衤 |
clothes |
yī |
裙 skirt (qún),
衫 shirt (shān)
|
| 27 |
疒 |
sickness |
nè |
病 disease (bìng),
痛 pain (tòng)
|
| 28 |
阝 |
terrain, hill, city, town |
yì |
部 department/section (bù),
都 both (bōu)
|
| 29 |
厂 |
factory, yard |
hàn |
厅 hall (tīng),
厂 factory (chǎng)
|
| 30 |
广 |
wide, shelter |
yǎn |
店 shop (diàn),
府 mansion (fǔ)
|
| 31 |
心 |
heart |
xīn |
想 want (xiǎng),
忘 forget (wàng)
|
| 32 |
忄 |
feeling, mental activities |
xīn |
情 emotion (qíng),
忙 busy (máng)
|
| 33 |
力 |
strength, power, force |
lì |
助 help (zhù),
加 add (jiā)
|
| 34 |
车 (車) |
car, vehicle, cart |
chē |
车 car (chē),
軌 rail/track (guǐ)
|
| 35 |
鱼 (魚) |
fish |
yú |
鲜 fresh (xiān),
鮑 abalone (bào)
|
If you have mastered these basic radicals, please try the more advanced radical list
info@mandarintutor.com
