The Chinese Learner’s Guide to All 214 Radicals

Radicals are small components of Chinese characters that make it easier to categorize them and look them up. In lieu of an alphabet, radicals and character components help you mentally break down a character and make it easier to remember.

Have a look at all 214 Chinese radicals, all of which we’ve outlined with usage examples. We’ll also show you how they can aid you in your understanding of Chinese writing.

 

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Complete List of Chinese Radicals

In Mandarin Chinese writing, radicals are components of characters that index them so you can look them up in dictionaries.

Every character in Chinese has one radical, usually on the left or top of the character.

The chart below contains the complete list of Chinese radicals.

Please note: Most radical charts use example characters to help you look up words in a dictionary, but the examples in this chart are meant to help you see how radicals and character components appear in different forms within a character.

Table legend:

• (V) – Variant
• (T) – Traditional
• * – Only used in traditional characters

Unmarked forms are the standard simplified Chinese version.

Radical No.	Radical	Pinyin	English	Example
1	一	yī	one	不 (bù) — no
2	丨	shù; gǔn	line	个 (gè) — general measure word
3	丶	zhǔ; diǎn	dot	门 (mén) — door
4	丿 乀 (V) 乁 (V)	piě	slash	人 (rén) — person
5	乙 乚 (V) 乛 (V)	yǐ	second	吃 (chī) — to eat
6	亅	jué; gōu	hook	可 (kě) — may; can
7	二	èr	two	仁 (rén) — benevolence
8	亠	tóu	lid	高 (gāo) — high; tall
9	人 亻 (V)	rén	person	坐 (zuò) — to sit
10	儿	ér	son; child	兄 (xiōng) — older brother
11	入	rù	enter	内 (nèi) — inner
12	八 丷 (V)	bā	eight	公 (gōng) — fairness
13	冂	jiǒng	wide	用 (yòng) — to use
14	冖	mì	cover	写 (xiě) — to write
15	冫	bīng	ice	冷 (léng) — cold
16	几	jī, jǐ	small table; several	风 (fēng) — wind
17	凵	qiǎn; kǎn	receptacle	出 (chū) — to go out
18	刀 刂 (V)	dāo	knife	到 (dào) — to arrive
19	力	lì	power	男 (nán) — man; male
20	勹	bāo	wrap	包 (bāo) — package
21	匕	bǐ; pìn	ladle	它 (tā) — it
22	匚	fāng	box	区 (qū) — area
23	匸	xì	conceal	忙 (máng) — busy
24	十	shí	ten	早 (zǎo) — early
25	卜	bǔ	divination	下 (xià) — down; next
26	卩	jié	seal	命 (mìng) — life
27	厂	hàn	cliff	厅 (tīng) — hall; room
28	厶	sī	private	去 (qù) — to go
29	又	yòu	again	友 (yǒu) — friend
30	口	kǒu	mouth	叫 (jiào) — to shout
31	囗	wéi	enclosure	国 (guó) — country
32	土	tǔ	earth	走 (zǒu) — to walk
33	士	shì	scholar	喜 (xǐ) — to like
34	夂	zhī	go	路 (lù) — road
35	夊	suī	go slowly	夏 (xià) — summer
36	夕	xī	night	多 (duō) — many
37	大	dà	big	天 (tiān) — sky; heaven
38	女	nǚ	woman	安 (ān) — peace
39	子	zǐ	child	学 (xué) — to study; to learn
40	宀	gài	roof	家 (jiā) — home; family
41	寸	cùn	inch	对 (duì) — correct
42	小	xiǎo	small	原 (yuán) — origin
43	尢 尣 (V)	wāng	lame	无 (wú) — negative; no; not
44	尸	shī	corpse	尾 (wěi) — tail
45	屮	chè	sprout	纯 (chún) — pure; simple
46	山	shān	mountain	岁 (suì) — age; harvest
47	川 巛 (V) 巜 (V)	chuān	river	训 (xùn) — to train; to teach
48	工	gōng	work	红 (hóng) — red
49	己	jǐ	oneself	起 (qǐ) — to rise; to stand up
50	巾	jīn	towel	帮 (bāng) — to help
51	干	gān	dry	平 (píng) — level; peaceful
52	幺	yāo	thread	系 (xì) — line; connection
53	广	guǎng	wide	床 (chuáng) — bed
54	廴	yǐn	stride	建 (jiàn) — to build
55	廾	gǒng	hands joined	开 (kāi) — to open; to start
56	弋	yì	shoot with a bow	代 (dài) — generation
57	弓	gōng	bow	引 (yǐn) — to attract; to pull
58	彐 彑 (V)	jì	snout	很 (hén) — very
59	彡	shān	hair; bristle	影 (yǐng) — shadow; image
60	彳	chì	step	行 (xíng) — to go; to walk
61	心 忄 (V)	xīn	heart	态 (tài) — attitude
62	戈	gē	spear	我 (wǒ) — I; me
63	户	hù	door	护 (hù) — to protect
64	手 扌 (V)	shǒu	hand	打 (dǎ) — to hit
65	支	zhī	branch	枝 (zhī) — branch; limb
66	攴 攵 (V)	pū	tap	敲 (qiāo) — to strike
67	文	wén	script	蚊 (wén) — mosquito
68	斗	dǒu	peck (unit of measurement)	科 (kè) — science
69	斤	jīn	axe	听 (tīng) — to hear
70	方	fāng	square	房 (fáng) — house
71	无	wú	not	芜 (wú) — overgrown with weeds
72	日	rì	sun	易 (yì) — easy
73	曰	yuē	say	更 (gèng) — even more
74	月	yuè	moon	期 (qī) — time period
75	木	mù	tree	种 (zhǒng) — type; seed
76	欠	qiàn	lack; be deficient	欢 (huān) — happy; pleased
77	止	zhǐ	stop	步 (bù) — step
78	歹	dǎi	wicked	死 (sǐ) — death
79	殳	shū	weapon	没 (méi) — not; have not
80	母 毋 (V)	mǔ	mother	每 (měi) — each
81	比	bǐ	compare	批 (pī) — to criticize
82	毛	máo	fur	笔 (bǐ) — writing brush; pen
83	氏	shì	clan	纸 (zhǐ) — paper
84	气	qì	steam	氧 (yǎng) — oxygen
85	水 氵 (V)	shuǐ	water	冰 (bīng) — ice; ice-cold
86	火 灬 (V)	huǒ	fire	灯 (dēng) — lamp; lantern
87	爪 爫 (V)	zhǎo	claw	抓 (zhuā) — to clutch; to grab
88	父	fù	father	爸 (bà) — father
89	爻	yáo	lines on a trigram	爽 (shuǎng) — refreshing
90	爿	qiáng	half of a tree trunk	装 (zhuāng) — to dress up
91	片	piàn	slice	版 (bǎn) — edition; version
92	牙	yá	tooth	邪 (xié) — evil
93	牛 牜 (V)	niú	cow	特 (tè) — special; unique
94	犭 犬 (V)	quǎn	dog	犯 (fàn) — to commit a crime
95	玄	xuán	profound	畜 (chù) — livestock
96	玉 王 (V)	yù	jade	宝 (bǎo) — treasure; valuable
97	瓜	guā	melon	狐 (hú) — fox
98	瓦	wǎ	tile; baked clay	瓶 (píng) — bottle
99	甘	gān	sweet	甜 (tián) — sweet
100	生	shēng	life	星 (xīng) — star; planet
101	用	yòng	use	通 (tōng) — pass through; to communicate
102	田	tián	field	果 (guǒ) — fruit
103	疋	pǐ	cloth	楚 (chǔ) — clear; distinct
104	疒	bìng	ill	疗 (liáo) — cured; recovered
105	癶	bō	legs	登 (dēng) — to rise
106	白	bái	white	怕 (pà) — to fear
107	皮	pí	skin	玻 (bō) — glass
108	皿	mǐn	dish	盘 (pán) — plate; tray
109	目	mù	eye	眼 (yǎn) — eye
110	矛	máo	spear	柔 (róu) — soft
111	矢	shǐ	arrow	知 (zhī) — to know
112	石	shí	stone	确 (què) — certain
113	示 礻 (V)	shì	spirit	标 (biāo) — mark; symbol
114	禸	róu	track	遇 (yù) — come across
115	禾	hé	grain	香 (xiāng) — fragrant
116	穴	xuè	cave	空 (kōng) — hollow; empty
117	立	lì	stand	位 (wèi) — position; rank
118	竹	zhú	bamboo	笔 (bǐ) — writing brush; pen
119	米	mǐ	rice	数 (shù) — to count
120	纟 糸 (T)	sī	silk	给 (gěi) — to give
121	缶	fǒu	jar	淘 (táo) — to weed out
122	网 罒 (V)	wǎng	net	罪 (zuì) — crime
123	羊	yáng	sheep	样 (yàng) — style; pattern
124	羽	yǔ	feather	翻 (fān) — to flip over
125	老	lǎo	old	姥 (lǎo) — maternal grandmother
126	而	ér	and	需 (xū) — to need
127	耒	lěi	plow	耕 (gēng) — to cultivate
128	耳	ěr	ear	联 (lián) — to connect
129	聿	yù	brush	建 (jiàn) — to build
130	肉	ròu	meat	腐 (fǔ) — to rot
131	臣	chén	minister	藏 (cáng) — to hide
132	自	zì	oneself	息 (xi) — to rest
133	至	zhì	arrive	到 (dào) — to arrive
134	臼	jiù	mortar	插 (chā) — to plug in
135	舌	shé	tongue	话 (huà) — to speak
136	舛	chuǎn	contrary	舞 (wǔ) — to dance
137	舟	zhōu	boat	搬 (bān) — to move
138	艮	gèn	mountain	很 (hén) — very
139	色	sè	color	绝 (jué) — to cut off
140	艹	cǎo	grass	花 (huā) — flower
141	虍	hǔ	tiger	虑 (lü) — anxiety
142	虫	chóng	insect	虽 (suī) — although
143	血	xuě	blood	恤 (xù) — to show pity
144	行	xíng	walk	街 (jiē) — street
145	衣 衤 (V)	yī	clothes	依 (yī) — to rely on
146	西 覀 (V)	xī	west	要 (yào) — to want
147	见 見 (T)	jiàn	see	现 (xiàn) — to become visible
148	角	jiǎo	horn	确 (què) — certain
149	讠 言 (T)	yán	speech	话 (huà) — to speak
150	谷	gǔ	valley	容 (róng) — appearance
151	豆	dòu	bean	短 (duǎn) — short
152	豕	shǐ	pig	家 (jiā) — home; family
153	豸	zhì	legless insects	貌 (mào) — countenance
154	贝 貝 (T)	bèi	shell	员 (yuán) — staff member
155	赤	chì	red	赫 (hè) — bright
156	走	zǒu	walk	起 (qǐ) — to rise; to stand up
157	足	zú	foot	促 (cù) — to urge
158	身	shēn	body	谢 (xiè) — to thank
159	车 車 (T)	chē	cart	较 (jiào) — to compare
160	辛	xīn	bitter	辩 (biàn) — to debate
161	辰	chén	morning	晨 (chén) — daybreak
162	辶	chuò	walk	这 (zhè) — this
163	邑 阝 (V)	yì	city	唈 (yì) — to sob
164	酉	yǒu	wine	配 (pèi) — to mix; to be suited for
165	釆	biàn	distinguish	翻 (fān) — to flip over
166	里	lǐ	village	理 (li) — logic; truth
167	钅 金 (V)	jīn	metal	钱 (qián) — money
168	长 長 (T)	cháng	long	账 (zhàng) — account
169	门 門 (V)	mén	gate	问 (wèn) — to ask
170	阜 阝 (V)	fù	mound	埠 (bù) — port city
171	隶	lì	slave	康 (kāng) — health
172	隹	zhuī	short-tailed bird	谁 (shéi) — who (question word)
173	雨	yǔ	rain	需 (xū) — to need
174	青	qīng	blue	请 (qíng) — please
175	非	fēi	wrong	罪 (zuì) — crime
176	面	miàn	face	缅 (miǎn) — distant
177	革	gé	leather	鞋 (xié) — shoe
178	韦 韋 (T)	wěi	soft leather	伟 (wěi) — extraordinary
179	韭	jiǔ	leek	韮 (jiǔ) — scallion
180	音	yīn	sound	意 (yī) — thought
181	页 頁 (T)	yè	page	题 (tí) — headline
182	风 風 (T)	fēng	wind	疯 (fēng) — crazy
183	飞 飛 (T)	fēi	fly	*
184	饣 飠 (V) 食 (V)	shí	eat	饿 (è) — hungry
185	首	shǒu	head	道 (dào) — path
186	香	xiāng	fragrant	馥 (fù) — scent
187	马 馬 (T)	mǎ	horse	妈 (mā) — mother
188	骨	gǔ	bone	滑 (huá) — to slip
189	高	gāo	high	搞 (gǎo) — to clarify
190	髟	biāo	long hair	髦 (máo) — bangs
191	鬥	dòu	fight	*
192	鬯	chàng	sacrificial wine	*
193	鬲	lì	cauldron	隔 (gé) — partition
194	鬼	guǐ	ghost	魔 (mó) — devil
195	鱼 魚 (T)	yú	fish	鲜 (xiān) — fresh
196	鸟 鳥 (T)	niǎo	bird	鸡 (jī) — chicken
197	卤	lǔ	salty	鹾 (cuó) — salty
198	鹿	lù	deer	漉 (lù) — to filter
199	麦 麥 (T)	mài	wheat	麸 (fū) — bran
200	麻	má	hemp	磨 (mó) — to polish
201	黄	huáng	yellow	璜 (huáng) — a semicircular jade pendant
202	黍	shǔ	millet	*
203	黑	hēi	black	墨 (mò) — ink
204	黹	zhǐ	embroidery	*
205	黾 黽 (T)	mǐn	frog	绳 (shéng) — rope
206	鼎	dǐng	tripod	*
207	鼓	gǔ	drum	瞽 (gǔ) — blind
208	鼠	shǔ	rat	癙 (shǔ) — illness caused by worry
209	鼻	bí	nose	鼾 (hān) — to snore loudly
210	齐 齊 (T)	qí	even	挤 (jǐ) —to squeeze out
211	齿 齒 (T)	chǐ	tooth	龄 (líng) — age; duration of time
212	龙 龍 (T)	lóng	dragon	笼 (lóng) — cage; coop
213	龟 龜 (T)	guī	turtle	阄 (jiū) — to cast by lots
214	龠	yuè	flute	瀹 (yuè) — to boil

The Difference Between Radicals and Character Components

Chinese character components can be broken up into three categories: radicals, semantic components and phonetic components.

Some people will refer to all three categories as “radicals.” Or, specifically as “key radicals,” “semantic radicals” and “phonetic radicals.” 

That’s because “radical” is used by some to describe the various components of a character, as in “this character has three radicals.”

This isn’t the way we’re using the term “radical” here, but just know that you may see the term being used in more than one way.

Radicals

部首 (bù shǒu) — Radicals are for looking up a word in a dictionary, just like the first letter of a word in English. Every one of the 85,000+ characters technically has one (and only one) radical.

Although learning to use radicals for this purpose can be helpful, most online dictionaries and dictionary apps these days only need pinyin or a drawing of the character.

Semantic components

Semantic components relate to the meaning of the character.

For example, the character 爸 (bà) — father is a vertical character, written top to bottom. The top component 父 (fù) is the semantic component, which means “father.”

Phonetic components

Phonetic components give you an idea of how to pronounce the character.

Reusing the character 爸 as our example, the bottom component 巴 (bā) clues you in to the pronunciation.

How to Use Radicals and Components to Learn Chinese

Learn about the historical origins

The Chinese writing system dates back more than 3,000 years, so many characters have evolved in form and/or meaning.

For example:

• The character 日 (rì) — sun was originally a circle with a dot in the middle, which looks a lot more like the sun.
• The character 家 (jiā) — home is made up of 宀 (mián) — roof and 豕 (shǐ) — swine. In ancient China, pigs were kept indoors. If a house had a pig, it meant people lived there, so that house was someone’s home.

Create your own memorable stories

For example:

• 我 (wǒ) means “I; me” and is composed of 手 (shǒu), meaning “hand” and 戈 (gē), meaning “spear.”
• The second stroke of “hand” and the first stroke of “spear” combine when writing the character 我.
• So your story could be, “I have a spear going through my hand.”

This combines the meaning of the character (I), the two character components (spear and hand) and a clue about how to draw the character (through) all in one sentence.

Understand the influence of pop culture

The internet has had a large effect on how we use language, and Chinese is no exception.

For instance:

• 赞 (zàn) — to praise, is the Chinese word for a social media “like,” such as you might see on WeChat.
• 汗 (hàn) — to perspire, is a slang word for being speechless because of embarrassment or exasperation.
• 大神 (dà shén) — deity; god, is a slang term for someone who’s an expert in something.
• If you call someone 面 (miàn) — noodle, it means they have no backbone.

 

It takes a lot of work to master Mandarin. But learning the radicals is a great way to create a “shortcut” for yourself. Look for these radicals in use anywhere that you find Chinese writing, from your favorite Chinese books to the subtitles in FluentU videos.

With a good understanding of Chinese radicals and character components (and the occasional dash of creativity), you’ll be on your way to reading and writing Chinese like a pro.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)