偏旁部首
Chinese Radicals List (部首) with Common HSK Words & Meanings
Chinese characters are built from recurring components called radicals (部首). Knowing the most common radicals—such as 氵 (water), 扌 (hand), 讠 (speech), 忄/心 (heart) and 饣 (food)—lets you spot the topic of an unfamiliar character and remember HSK vocabulary faster.
| Radical | Reading & meaning | What it signals | Common HSK words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 口 | kǒu · mouth | speech, eating, calling, modal particles | 和 ((joining two nouns) · 吗 ((question particle) · 呢 (particle indicatin) · 喜欢 (to like; to be fon) · 吃 (to eat; to consume) · 听 (to listen to; to h) · 叫 (to shout) · 喝 (to drink) |
| 亻 | rén · person | people, pronouns, human actions | 你 (you (informal, as ) · 他 (he; him (used for ) · 做 (to make; to produc) · 什么 (what?) · 住 (to live) · 但是 (but; however) · 件 (item) · 休息 (rest) |
| 扌 | shǒu · hand | hand actions: hold, hit, push, pick up | 打电话 (to make a telephon) · 找 (to try to find) · 报纸 (newspaper) · 打篮球 (to play basketball) · 把 (to hold; to grasp) · 才 (ability; talent) · 担心 (anxious) · 接 (to receive) |
| 讠 | yán · speech | speaking, language, asking, words | 谁 (who) · 请 (to ask) · 认识 (to know) · 谢谢 (to thank) · 说话 (to speak) · 读 (to read out; to re) · 让 (to yield) · 课 (subject) |
| 辶 | chuò · walk | movement, roads, distance, sending | 这 ((pronoun) this; th) · 还 (still) · 进 (to go forward) · 送 (to send; to delive) · 远 (far) · 近 (near) · 运动 (to move) · 还是 (still (as before)) |
| 氵 | shuǐ · water | liquids, rivers, washing, weather | 没 ((negative prefix f) · 漂亮 (pretty) · 没关系 (it doesn't matter) · 汉语 (Chinese language) · 洗 (to wash; to bathe) · 游泳 (swimming) · 注意 (to take note of; t) · 游戏 (game) |
| 日 | rì · sun / day | time, brightness, dates, weather | 是 (to be (followed by) · 时候 (time) · 日 (sun) · 明天 (tomorrow) · 昨天 (yesterday) · 星期 (week) · 时间 (time) · 晚上 (evening) |
| 木 | mù · tree / wood | trees, wooden objects, furniture | 来 (to come) · 本 (root) · 桌子 (table) · 椅子 (chair) · 杯子 (cup) · 机场 (airport; airfield) · 条 (strip) · 机会 (opportunity) |
| 攵 | pū · tap / strike | actions done to something: teach, count, change | 教室 (classroom) · 放 (to put) · 故事 (narrative; story; ) · 敢 (to dare) · 教 (to teach) · 放心 (to feel relieved) · 数学 (mathematics) · 改变 (to change) |
| 宀 | mián · roof | house, home, indoor safety | 家 (home) · 它 (it) · 完 (to finish) · 完成 (to complete; to ac) · 容易 (easy; straightforw) · 害怕 (to be afraid) · 安静 (quiet) · 客人 (visitor) |
| 心 | xīn · heart | feelings, thoughts, attitudes | 想 (to think (about)) · 怎么 (how?) · 怎么样 (how?) · 您 (you (courteous, as) · 意思 (idea) · 必须 (to have to) · 总是 (always) · 愿意 (to wish) |
| 阝 | fù / yì · mound / city | hills, places, borders, towns | 都 (all; both; entirel) · 那 ((specifier) that; ) · 阴 (overcast (weather)) · 除了 (besides) · 附近 (nearby; neighborin) · 邻居 (neighbor) · 阿姨 (maternal aunt) · 部分 (part) |
| 女 | nǚ · woman | family members, female names, grace | 好 (good) · 她 (she) · 妈妈 (mama) · 女儿 (daughter) · 女人 (woman) · 妻子 (wife) · 姐姐 (older sister) · 妹妹 (younger sister) |
| 土 | tǔ · earth | ground, places, buildings, sitting | 在 (to exist; to be al) · 坐 (to sit) · 块 (lump; chunk; piece) · 地 (-ly) · 地方 (area) · 城市 (city; town) · 坏 (bad) · 地铁 (underground railwa) |
| 纟 | sī · silk / thread | fabrics, lines, colours, connection | 给 (to) · 红 (red) · 结束 (termination) · 终于 (at last) · 经过 (to pass) · 经常 (frequently; consta) · 结婚 (to marry) · 经理 (manager) |
| 目 | mù · eye | seeing, eyes, sleep, look | 看 (to see; to look at) · 看见 (to see) · 睡觉 (to go to bed) · 着 (aspect particle in) · 真 (really) · 眼睛 (eye) · 相信 (to be convinced (t) · 相同 (identical) |
| 刂 | dāo · knife | cutting, dividing, sharp edges | 前面 (ahead) · 到 (to reach; to arriv) · 别 (to leave; to part ) · 别人 (other people; othe) · 刚才 (just now) · 刷 (to brush) · 刻 (quarter (hour)) · 刮 (to scrape) |
| 人 | rén · person | people and what they do | 人 (person; people) · 会 (can; to have the s) · 今天 (today) · 从 (from) · 介绍 (to introduce (sb t) · 以后 (after) · 以前 (before) · 以为 (to think (i.e. to ) |
| 囗 | wéi · enclosure | surrounded spaces: countries, gardens, pictures | 回 (to circle) · 四 (four) · 因为 (because) · 回答 (to reply; to answe) · 国家 (country; nation; s) · 图书馆 (library) · 因此 (thus; consequently) · 困难 (difficult) |
| 艹 | cǎo · grass / plant | plants, flowers, vegetables, tea | 菜 (dish (type of food) · 茶 (tea) · 苹果 (apple) · 药 (medicine) · 花 (flower) · 节目 (program) · 蓝 (blue) · 草 (grass) |
| 月 | yuè · moon / flesh | time periods, body parts | 有 (to have; there is) · 月 (moon) · 朋友 (friend) · 服务员 (waiter) · 月亮 (the moon) · 有名 (famous) · 有趣 (interesting) · 有些 (some) |
| 王 | yù · jade | jade, precious things, play | 现在 (now) · 玩 (to play) · 环境 (environment) · 班 (team; class; grade) · 理解 (to comprehend; to ) · 现代 (modern times) · 理想 (an ideal) · 理发 (to get a haircut; ) |
| 竹 | zhú · bamboo | writing tools, baskets, counting | 第一 (first) · 笑 (to laugh; to smile) · 简单 (simple) · 筷子 (chopsticks) · 等 (class) · 算 (to regard as) · 管理 (to supervise) · 篇 (sheet) |
| 力 | lì · strength | effort, work, movement, help | 努力 (to make an effort;) · 办法 (means) · 办公室 (office) · 动物 (animal) · 动作 (movement; motion; ) · 勇敢 (brave; courageous) · 力气 (strength) · 加班 (to work overtime) |
| 忄 | xīn · heart | emotions, mental states | 快 (rapid) · 快乐 (happy; joyful) · 懂 (to understand) · 忙 (busy) · 慢 (slow) · 情况 (circumstances; sta) · 怀疑 (to doubt (sth)) · 愉快 (cheerful) |
| 广 | guǎng · shelter | buildings, shops, seats, space | 应该 (ought to) · 座 (seat) · 底 (background) · 广告 (to advertise) · 平时 (ordinarily) · 广播 (broadcast) · 座位 (seat) · 店 (inn; old-style hot) |
| 走 | zǒu · walk / run | going, getting up, passing | 走 (to walk) · 起床 (to get out of bed) · 越 (to exceed) · 超市 (supermarket (abbr.) · 起来 ((after a verb) ind) · 超过 (to surpass) · 趟 (classifier for tim) · 起飞 ((of an aircraft) t) |
| 巾 | jīn · cloth | cloth, towels, hats, help | 希望 (to hope) · 帮助 (assistance; aid) · 带 (band) · 帮忙 (to help) · 帽子 (hat) · 市场 (marketplace) · 帅 ((bound form) comma) · 师傅 (master) |
| 灬 | huǒ · fire dots | heating, boiling, cooking | 点 (point) · 热 (to warm up) · 然后 (then; after that; ) · 照片 (photograph) · 照顾 (to take care of) · 热情 (cordial) · 熊猫 (panda) · 照相机 (camera) |
| 足 | zú · foot | walking, running, jumping, kicks | 路 (road) · 踢 (to kick) · 跳舞 (to dance) · 跑步 (to run) · 跟 (heel) · 距离 (distance) · 跑 (to run) · 跳 (to jump) |
| 页 | yè · head / page | head, face, neck, pages | 颜色 (color) · 题 (topic) · 顺利 (smoothly; without ) · 顿 (to stop) · 页 (page) · 顾客 (customer; client) · 顺便 (conveniently) · 顺序 (sequence) |
| 钅 | jīn · metal | metals, money, tools, clocks | 钱 (coin) · 错 (mistake) · 银行 (bank) · 锻炼 (to toughen) · 铅笔 ((lead) pencil) · 钥匙 (key) · 镜子 (mirror) · 错误 (mistaken; false; w) |
| 车 | chē · vehicle | wheeled transport, turning, light/heavy | 辆 (classifier for veh) · 输 (to lose; to be bea) · 轻松 (light) · 轻 (light) · 软 (soft) · 车 (car) · 转 (to turn) · 车上 (Car) |
| 贝 | bèi · shell | money, trade, value, buying | 贵 (expensive) · 负责 (to be in charge of) · 责任 (responsibility) · 赢 (to beat) · 赚 (to earn) · 购物 (shopping) · 资金 (funds; capital) · 费 (to cost) |
| 彳 | chì · step | going, streets, waiting, actions | 很 ((adverb of degree)) · 得 (structural particl) · 往 (to go (in a direct) · 律师 (lawyer) · 往往 (usually) · 得意 (proud of oneself) · 得到 (to get) · 得分 (to score) |
| 门 | mén · gate / door | doors, rooms, opening, closing, asking | 问题 (question) · 问 (to ask; to inquire) · 门 (gate) · 阅读 (to read) · 间 (between) · 闻 (to hear) · 门口 (doorway) · 门票 (ticket (for theate) |
Common questions
What is a Chinese radical (部首)?
A radical is the semantic component used to index characters in a dictionary. It usually hints at the broad category of meaning: characters with 氵 relate to water or liquid (河, 洗, 渴, 汤), while characters with 讠 relate to language and speaking (说, 话, 请, 谢).
How many radicals do I need to learn for HSK 1–4?
Traditionally dictionaries use 214 Kangxi radicals, but the most common 30 or so, shown on this page, appear in well over half of all HSK 1–4 words.