Strokes & Radicals
Common Radicals
A radical is a recurring component that hints at the meaning of a character. Dictionaries are organized by them.
| Character | Radical / meaning | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| 亻 — person (from 人) | 你 (you), 他 (he) | |
| 口 — mouth | 吃 (eat), 喝 (drink) | |
| 氵 — water (from 水) | 河 (river), 海 (sea) | |
| 木 — tree / wood | 林 (forest), 桌 (table) | |
| 火 — fire | 烧 (burn), 炒 (stir-fry) | |
| 心 — heart | 想 (think), 忘 (forget) | |
| 女 — woman | 妈 (mom), 好 (good) |
Spotting radicals lets you guess the meaning of unfamiliar characters.
Quiz
Pick the best answer for each question. You get feedback right away.
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The radical 氵 hints at:
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Which character contains the "person" radical 亻?
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The radical in 妈 (mother) is: