The 214 Radicals (bushou ) The classifiers, determinants or radicals (bushou ) of a Chinese character serve to categorize words according to their meaning and to place them into a dictionary. The advantage of a radical is that one does not have to know the pronunciation of the character. For most characters, there is no problem to be categorized. But especially characters that are not compounded of a phonetical (shengfu ) and a classifying part (xingfu ), are not easy to be classified in such a system. For example, shall the character for "heaven" be classified under "great" or under "one" ? Having a closer look at some characters, wrong attributions can easily be found, for instance the character for dao "arriving" seems to be compounded from a standing "knife" to the right and the character as a second part. Indeed, all characters deriving from the radical "knife" have the same shape. But looking at the meaning of the character, we see that in fact, the "knife" is not the radical, but the phonetical part of the character (pronounced dao), and the left part is in fact the radical zhi "arriving". Some writing styles also create the problem to recognize the real radical, for example jing: is the radical the "top grass" or the "standing knife" ? The dictionary most accurately describing the characters and their radicals is the Late Han dictionary Shuowen jiezi by Xu Shen (d. 147 AD). Xu attributed all characters to 540 radicals. Many of these radicals have only few characters depending on them (like xi "binding together, connecting": sun grandson, mian brocade, yao following up), some Shuowen radicals even stand alone for themselves, like the first of terrestrial branches, jia. And one can really argue if the character yan "gleaming", consisting of two "fire" , is a radical for its own or rather belongs to the radical huo (one fire). The system of 214 radicals came up during the late Ming dynasty, when characters like sun "grandson" were rather attributed to the radical zi "son". The first dictionary using the 214 radical system was Mei Yingzu's Zihui "Character treasure" from 1615, containing more than 30.000 characters. The most famous dictionary using them is the Kangxi dictionary Kangxi zidian from 1716. Even the reduction of radicals from 540 to 214 left behind a lot of work for people wanting to be expert in knowing the radicals of all characters. Modern dictionaries therefore have created their own system of radicals, mostly according to the shape of the Chinese character. Characters like zai (an exclamation particle), zai "planting", zai "loading", cai "tailoring" can now easily be found under the radical - what is actually the phonetical part of these characters - instead of the traditional radicals kou "mouth", mu "tree", che "cart", or yi "clothing". feng "receiving with respect", zou "reporting to the throne", chun "spring", tai "great", qin (a kind of millet), are now all headed under the radical , while their traditional radicals are gong "raised hands", tao "going forward" (the 214 radical system attributes feng and zou to the radical da "great"), ri "sun" (the Shuowen jiezi only knows the character for "spring"), shui "water", and he "grain". See also the theme simplification of characters. Some radicals have a different shape if they stand alone as a word, and as a radical:

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"knife" is written as a "standing knife" (lidao ) to the left and standard if on the bottom "heart" is written as a "standing heart" (shuxin ) to the left or with four dots if on the bottom , but sometimes written standard "man" is written as a "standing man" (danliren ) to the left or relatively wide if on the bottom "hand" is written with three strokes (tishoupang ) to the left or standard if on the bottom "whip" is normally written like (fanwen ) , and only seldom written standard "water" is normally written with three dots (sandianshui ) and standard if on the bottom "fire" is written standard if to the left or on the bottom and with four dots (sidian ) if on the bottom, but sometimes written standard "dog" is written with a special shape called quanyou "jade" is written like a king if to the left, but standard if on the bottom "claw" is written in small dots if on the top "net" is written like a horizonal eye (sizitou ) "grass" is written with three (or four) strokes on the top (caozitou ) "meat, flesh, organ" is written like a moon sacral matters are written with four (or five) strokes to the left and standard on the bottom "clothing" is written with five strokes to the left , and sometimes separated in bottom and top "walking" is written with four (or three) strokes (zouzhi ) "dam" and "town" are written with three (two) strokes in the shape of an ear (erdao ) "eating" is written with one stroke less

The list below gives an overview over the 214 radicals with their meaning and examples how characters with these radicals look like. The characters in round brackets are examples for simplified forms whose traditional forms have other radicals.

One Stroke 1 yi one; a horizontal stroke =,=,=,= 2 gun a vertical stroke (also read xin or tui) = 3 zhu a dot =,= 4 pie a stroke curved to the left (also written ) =,=,= 5 yi a bend stroke; the second of celestial stems =,=,=,= 6 jue a hook = Two Strokes 7 er two; two horizontal strokes = 8 tou head, above (also written ) = 9 ren man, a person 10 ren man, a person (at the bottom of a character) = 11 ru entering, starting 12 ba eight; to part, to divide = 13 jiong wilderness 14 mi cover =,= 15 bing two dots; ice, cold (also written ) = 16 ji small table 17 qu wide opened mouth = 18 dao knife, sword, cutting, separating 19 li strength, force = 20 bao embracing (also written ) 21 bi spoon, ladle 22 fang square box 23 xi round box 24 shi ten; two crossed strokes =,= 25 bu divining = 26 jie seal, stamp 27 han cliff =,=,=,= 28 si self, private (also written ) = 29 you grasping, further, again =,=,=,= Three Strokes 30 kou mouth, opening, sounding =,=,= 31 wei enclosure (also written ) 32 tu earth, soil = 33 shi official, scholar =,= 34 (bottom) sui walking slowly = 35 (top) zhi overtaking (=,=); this radical is often omitted and replaced by 34 36 xi evening 37 da big, large =,= 38 n woman 39 zi child, son; the first of terrestrial branches 40 mian roof, cover 41 cun inch = 42 xiao small =,=,= 43 wang broken or curved leg 44 shi corpse, body 45 che sprout 46 shan mountain, cliff = 47 chuan river, stream 48 gong work 49 ji self, own; the sixth of celestial stems 50 jin towel, napkin

51 gan shield 52 yao small, young = 53 yan house built at a slope =,= 54 yin walking a long distance 55 gong two hands (at bottom of character) =,= 56 yi shooting 57 gong crossbow 58 ji pig head =,=,= 59 shan hair, feather = 60 chi walking slowly Four Strokes 61 xin heart, feeling 62 ge axe, halberd 63 hu house, door 64 shou hand, actions 65 zhi branch 66 pu whip 67 wen word, literature =,=,=,= 68 dou a kind of volume measure 69 jin a kind of weight measure; axe 70 fang square, direction, locality 71 wu do not, no 72 ri sun, clear = 73 yue speaking 74 yue moon, month 75 mu tree, wood =,= 76 qian missing, gap 77 zhi stopping 78 dai evil 79 shu halberd 80 mu mother (or wu do not) 81 bi side by side, comparing = 82 mao hair, feather 83 shi clan 84 qi air, breath 85 shui water 86 huo fire = 87 zhao claw, hand = 88 fu father 89 yao crossing two times 90 qiang bed = 91 pian slice, piece 92 ya teeth 93 niu cow, ox 94 quan dog, dog-like animals Five Strokes 95 xuan black, dark 96 yu jade, stone 97 gua pumpkin, melon 98 wa tile, earthenware 99 gan sweet 100 sheng giving birth, living 101 yong using 102 tian field 103 pi roll, bolt 104 chuang sick 105 bo two hands above 106 bai white (also read bo) 107 pi leather, skin 108 min plate 109 mu eye 110 mao spear 111 shi arrow 112 shi stone, rock 113 shi spiritual, ancestor 114 rou animal stamping the earth = 115 he grain ear 116 xue hollow, hole, hidden 117 li stand, erect =,= Six Strokes 118 zhu bamboo 119 mi rice 120 mi thread, fabric 121 fou crock, vessel 122 wang net 123 yang sheep, goat 124 yu wings 125 lao old 126 er moustache; but, and 127 lei handle of a plough 128

er ear 129 yu brush 130 rou meat, organs of the body 131 chen servant, subject 132 zi nose, self 133 zhi arrive 134 jiu mortar 135 she tongue 136 chuan lying side by side 137 zhou boat, ship 138 gen simple, honest, straight 139 se color, outlook 140 cao grass, herb, plant =,=,etc.= 141 hu tiger 142 hui insect, creeping animal; sometimes read chong = 143 xue blood (seldom read xie) 144 xing walk, row, line (also read hang) 145 yi clothing 146 ya cover Seven Strokes 147 jian seeing 148 jue horn; a kind of volume measure 149 yan speaking 150 gu valley 151 dou bean; a kind of vessel 152 shi pig 153 zhi small hairy animals 154 bei cowry snail 155 chi red 156 zou walking 157 zu foot, leg, walking 158 shen body 159 che cart 160 xin bitter; the eighth of celectial stems 161 chen morning; the fifth of terrestrial branches 162 chuo stamping on the earth, going 163 yi village 164 you wine, jar; the tenth of terrestrial branches 165 bian distiguishing, separating (sometimes mistaken as cai) 166 li mile, hamlet Eight Strokes 167 jin metal, gold 168 chang long, hair 169 men door = 170 fu hill, dam 171 dai reaching, catching 172 zhui small bird 173 yu rain 174 qing bluegreen 175 fei wings; not Nine Strokes 176 mian face 177 ge skin, leather, changing 178 wei tanned leather 179 jiu chives, scallion 180 yin sound 181 ye page, face 182 feng wind 183 fei flying 184 shi eating 185 shou head 186 xiang odor, perfume Ten Strokes 187 ma horse 188 gu bone 189 gao high, aloft 190 biao hair 191 dou battle 192 chang offering spirits 193 li a kind of vessel 194 gui ghost, spirit Eleven Strokes

195 yu fish 196 niao bird 197 lu salt 198 lu deer 199 mai grain 200 ma hemp Twelve Strokes 201 huang yellow 202 shu millet 203 hei black 204 zhi needlework Thirteen Strokes 205 min frog, amphibium (seldom read mian) 206 ding tripod 207 gu drum 208 shu mouse, rat Fourteen Strokes 209 bi nose, self 210 qi equal, all Fifteen Strokes 211 chi teeth Sixeen Strokes 212 long dragon 213 gui turtle Seventeen Strokes 214 yue flute

The radical table

Radical

* * *, * * yu b r j

Number of strokes / meaning / description in Chinese 1 / a point / 1 / one / 1 / down stroke / 1 / left stroke / 1 / down curved / 2 / ice / 2 / 2 / knife / 2 / plenty / 2 / big city / 2/ 2 / to seal 2 / private / () 2 / receptacle / 2 / basket / 2 / borders 2 / person, enter 2 / speech / 2 / [to have] / 2 / 2 / person / 2 / also / 2 / to move on / 2 / spoon / 2 / son / 2 / table /

Positions in character top top middle left, top left, right

Examples

, , ,,,,, , ,,,,, ,, ,,,,,() ,,,, ,,,,, ,, ,,, ,, , ,, ,, , , ,,, ,, ,,, ,,,, ,,,, ,,,,,, ,,, ,,,, ,,,,, ,, , , ,

left, (base) top right left right top, middle top, right top, left base left outside, top top left top top left left, base base right base top, outside

do l chng b r sh

2 / knife / 2 / strength / 2 / cliff / 2 / to divine / 2 / two / 2 / ten / 2 / to wrap / 3 / to walk slowly / 3 / frame / 3 / enclosure / 3 / grass / 3 / join hands / 3 / crooked / 3 / silk / (, ) 3 / sprout 3 / hand / 3 / to go / 3 / roof / 3 / water / 3 / heart / 3 / to eat / 3 / tap / 3 / dog / 3 / to follow / 3 / pig's head 3 / stream / 3 / feathery / 3 / a dart / 3 / self/already

base, top, right ,,, right, base,, , , middle top left ,, top, right ,,, top, base ,,,, left, top, base ,, right ,, left ,,, left outside top base middle, left left / base middle left

y , j , y

lefttop left left left right left top, left top top, middle right left top

,, ,,,, ,,, ,, ,,, ,, , ,,,,, ,,,, , ,,, ,,,, ,,,, , , ,,, ,, ,, , ,, ,,() , , ,, ,,,

n

3 / women 3 / napkin / left, base

jn

,,,

shn d wn yo xio gng t, sh wng x gung mn z * * yu * du di qun w b nin m wng xn hu wn fng h yo

3 / mountain / 3 / great / 3 / ball, pill / 3 / tiny / 3 / small / 3 / a bow / 3 / earth, scholar / 3 / to perish / 3 / sunset / 3 / shelter / 3 / gate / 3 / child / 4 / old / 4 / ox / 4 / fire / 4 / flesh / (,) 4 / spirit / 4 / to measure / 4 / bad, evil / 4 / dog / 4 / baked clay / 4 / not / 4 / twenty / 4 / wood / (,,) 4 / king / 4 / heart / 4 / fire / 4 / civil / 4 / square, side / 4 / household / 4 / tender, young /

left top, middle right left top left / base left, top, base

,,, ,,,, , ,,,, , ,,,,,

top, left,,, , base top, left ,,, top ,, , top ,, left, base, top ,,, top ,, left base left / base left right left base, right left, base top top left, top, base

,, ,,,, ,, ,,, ,,, , ,, , , ,,, ,, ,,,,, , ,, ,,, ,,,,, ,,, ,,, ,,

left, top, base base left, base left left, base top top

pin bi jn sh r ch g zh yu y zhng * * * * * h tin y sh q gn m s wu

4 / a strip / 4 / treasure / 4 / half kilo/ 4 / to kill / 4 / day, sun / 4 / vehicle / 4 / spear / 4 / only to stop / 4 / to say, name / 4 / tooth / 4 / middle / 5/ 5 / back to back / () 5 / grass & cover / 5 / to present / 5 / gold (metal) / 5 / to be ill / 5 / clothes / 5 / grain / (, ) 5 / field / 5 / jade, pure / 5 / spirit / 5 / to be away / 5 / sweet / 5 / eye / 5 / four / 5 / fifth / 5 / dish /

left left, base left, base right left, top, base left, top, base right, left top, base, left left top, right top top top top left, base left left left, top top, base, left left, base base base, left top left, base top left base

, ,,, ,, , ,,, ,,,, ,,,, () ,,,, ,,, , , , ,, , ,, , ,,, , ,, ,,,, ,,, ,,,, ,,, ,, ,, ,,, ,, ,, ,,,,

mn

gu shn p nio

5 / melon / 5 / to state / 5 / skin / 5 / bird / 5 / cave / 5 / arrow / 5 / white / 5 / main / 5 / eye / 5 / business / 5 / to stand / 5 / stone /(,) 6 / bamboo 6 / rice / 6 / feather, wing /

right left left, right right, base top left left, top, base top left, base top

, , ,

xu sh bi zh m y l sh * m y

,, , , , ,, ,,, ,, left, top, base ,,, left, top, base ,,,,, top ,, left, top, base ,,,,, top, right, base ,,,,

r yng y jio zu ci y

6 / ear / 6 / sheep / 6 / heading 7 / horn / 7 / to walk / 8 / to separate / 8 / rain / ,

left top, right right left left, base top, left top

,,, , ,, , ,, ,, ,,,,