Chinese characters are not random, they are built from small pieces called radicals. Once you know the 10 most common ones, you will start recognising them in hundreds of words!
A radical (部首 bùshǒu) is the root part of a Chinese character. Think of it like a LEGO brick, you combine bricks to build something bigger. The same radical can appear on the left, right, top or bottom of a character, and it often gives you a clue about the meaning!
When you see 河 (river), 海 (sea) and 洗 (wash), they all have 氵 on the left. That is the water radical!
Radicals often change shape depending on position. 火 (fire) becomes 灬 at the bottom of a character.
Every radical you learn is a clue to dozens of new characters. The more you know, the easier it gets!
Each radical appears in the words below, can you spot where it hides?
Picture a person walking, two legs stepping forward. When placed on the left side of a character it becomes 亻 (a thinner version). This radical appears in words about people, pronouns and social relationships.
A simple square, the shape of an open mouth! This radical keeps the same form everywhere. It appears in characters about speaking, eating, drinking, singing and tasting.
The sun with a horizontal line, sunlight shining through! Because Chinese days are counted by the sun, 日 also means "day". You find it in all the days of the week and in words about time and brightness.
A crescent moon with two lines glowing inside. Because the old Chinese calendar followed the moon, 月 means both "moon" and "month", so every month name in Chinese (一月, 二月...) uses this radical!
Three mountain peaks, the middle one tallest. This radical is very easy to remember because it looks exactly like a mountain! Many famous Chinese place names contain 山 (like 山东 Shandong and 山西 Shanxi).
Flowing water with ripples. When it appears on the left side of a character it becomes 氵, three little water drops. This is one of the most common radicals. If you see three dots on the left, think water!
Flames shooting upward! When it moves to the bottom of a character it becomes 灬 (four dots, like the base of a fire). Characters with this radical often relate to heat, cooking, light and burning.
A tree: vertical trunk, branches spreading upward, roots spreading downward. It appears in characters about trees, wood, and things made of wood. Two trees = 林 (grove), three trees = 森 (dense forest). Very logical!
The heart, feelings, thoughts and emotions. When on the left it becomes 忄 (two strokes and a dot). Characters with this radical are often about how you feel inside: happiness, worry, love, thinking and forgetting.
A hand with fingers spread out. On the left side it becomes 扌. This is a very useful clue: if you see 扌 on the left, the character probably involves doing something with your hands, pushing, pulling, holding, throwing!
A figure with arms open, originally drawn as a kneeling woman. This radical appears in many everyday words. Interestingly, 好 (good) combines 女 (woman) and 子 (child), a woman with a child!
Originally a picture of a baby in swaddling clothes, big head, arms out, legs wrapped. 子 appears in words about children, learning, and education. It is also used as a suffix to form nouns (like 孩子 child, 桌子 table).
A mouth speaking words, the radical for speech and language. On the left side it becomes the simplified 讠 (two strokes). It appears in characters about talking, asking, reading and language. Very common!
A leg and foot, originally drawn as a knee bending down to a foot. On the left it becomes ⻊. It appears in characters about movement with your legs: running, kicking, jumping and dancing. Compare with 手 (hand), hands and feet together!
A roof shape, two sloping sides meeting at a point, just like a house roof! This radical always appears at the top of a character. Characters with 宀 relate to houses, rooms, family, and things that happen under a roof.
Two grass shoots growing upward, a simplified picture of grass or plants. This radical always appears at the top of a character. If you see 艹 on top, think plants, flowers, vegetables or herbs!
An eye, originally drawn as an oval with a pupil, then rotated. Very similar to 日 (sun) but slightly taller. It appears in characters about seeing, watching, and looking. A great clue: if a character involves your eyes, look for 目!
Food and eating, one of the most fun radicals! On the left side it becomes 饣. This radical appears in characters about food, meals, drinks and restaurants. You saw it in Marina's lesson: 食字旁 is usually related to food!
A box that surrounds, like a wall or border around something. Note: this looks like 口 (mouth) but is bigger! It represents an enclosed space, border or country. Characters with 囗 often relate to places, countries and boundaries.
A mound of earth, like a small hill of soil with something pushing up through it. It represents earth, ground, soil and building. Characters with 土 often relate to the ground, land, places and construction.
You have seen all 10 radicals, now let us check what you remember!
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