Chinese Radicals Reference Chart & Printable Practice Worksheets

Person, human action, posture, or social relationship

Compresses into 亻 on the left side of compound characters.

Water, liquid, rivers, washing, or fluid motion

Written as three droplets 氵 on the left; third stroke is a rising Tí.

Mouth, eating, speaking, calling, or modal particles

Small square 口 placed high on the left; do not confuse with full enclosure 囗.

Hand, grasping, striking, holding, or manual action

Left-side form 扌 uses Horizontal + Vertical Hook + Rising stroke.

Heart, mind, emotion, thought, or temperament

Appears as 忄 on the left (Left dot → Right dot → Vertical) or 心 at the bottom.

Tree, wood, timber, furniture, or wooden structures

When on the left, the right-falling Nà changes to a short Dot to avoid collision.

Grass, herbs, flowers, vegetables, or plant life

Always sits at the top: Horizontal stroke first, then two short verticals.

Speech, language, words, asking, or teaching

Simplified from 7-stroke 言 to 2-stroke 讠 on the left side.

Woman, female family members, marriage, or grace

On the left, the final Horizontal stroke becomes a short rising Tí that stops at the right edge.

Walking, road travel, distance, or movement along a path

Bottom-left carrier: always written LAST after completing the inner component.

Sun, day, time, brightness, or calendar periods

Appears on the left (明, 时) or top (早, 星). Narrower than 曰 (say).

Moon/months OR body organs and flesh (from 肉)

In most anatomical characters (脸, 脚, 胖), left-side 月 derives from 肉 (flesh).

Fire, heat, cooking, roasting, or light

Written as 火 on the left (灯, 烧) or four dots 灬 at the bottom (热, 点, 照).

Earth, soil, land, ground, walls, or territory

When on the left, the bottom Horizontal stroke angles upward into a Rising Tí.

Metal, gold, iron, coins, tools, or hardware

Simplified from 8-stroke 金 to 5-stroke 钅 on the left.

Food, meals, cooking, grains, or nourishment

Simplified to 3-stroke 饣 on the left of food-related characters.

Silk, thread, fabric, weaving, colors, or continuity

Simplified to 3-stroke 纟 (two angled turns + rising stroke) on the left.

Roof, house, shelter, home, or indoor security

Top roof crown: Top dot → Left vertical dot → Horizontal hook.

Bamboo, writing instruments, baskets, or tally slips

Compresses into compact ⺮ at the top of characters.

Eye, vision, looking, watching, or sleep

Has TWO horizontal bars inside (unlike 日 which has one).

Foot, leg, running, jumping, kicking, or standing

On the left, the bottom-right Nà stroke becomes a compact Rising Tí (⻊).

Knife, blade, cutting, carving, or division

Usually stands on the RIGHT side as 刂 (short vertical + tall vertical hook).

Left 阝 (阜): mound, hill, steps; Right 阝 (邑): city, town

Position changes meaning: Left 阝 = hills/elevation (院, 阳); Right 阝 = cities (都, 邮).

Clothing, garments, sleeves, or fabric coverings

Has TWO dots on the right side of the vertical (5 strokes: 衤), unlike 礻 (4 strokes).

Altar, blessing, ceremony, ritual, or auspicious signs

Has only ONE dot on the right side of the vertical (4 strokes: 礻).

Vehicle, cart, wheel, turning, or transport

When on the left, the Vertical stroke goes before the final Rising Tí stroke.

Horse, riding, speed, or galloping

Simplified from 10 strokes (馬) to 3 compact strokes (马).

Gate, doorway, room enclosure, or threshold

Three-sided gate frame: write the outer 门 frame FIRST, then the inner component.

Full enclosure, boundary, garden, country, or surround

Write Left + Top-Right first, fill the inside, and close the bottom Horizontal LAST.

Illness, pain, medical symptom, or healing

Top-left canopy: write the 5-stroke 疒 canopy first, then the inner component.