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Chinese keys (214 radicals) · 部首

Chinese is not written with an alphabet: each character is a picture-built sign, and the 214 keys (radicals, 部首) are the parts it is built FROM. Most characters are two-part: a KEY hinting at the meaning + a phonetic hinting at the sound — 妈 mā 'mother' = 女 woman (key) + 马 mǎ (sound). Dictionaries file every character under exactly one key, which is why they were called 'keys' in the first place: they unlock the dictionary. Learn the top 50 and unfamiliar characters stop being noise: you'll see water in 河湖海, heart in 想忆怕, speech in 说话请. The IPA shown is the key's own Mandarin reading; inside a character the key is usually silent meaning, not sound.

Han characters (logographic — signs carry meaning, not sound) · written left to right · used here by Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese

214 signs

#	Sign	Variants	Name	Roman	IPA	Meaning
1	一	—	yī	`yī`	i˥	one
2	丨	—	shù	`shù`	ʂu˥˩	line
3	丶	—	diǎn	`diǎn`	tjɛn˨˩˦	dot
4	丿	乀乁	piě	`piě`	pʰjɛ˨˩˦	slash
5	乙	乚乛	yǐ	`yǐ`	i˨˩˦	second
6	亅	—	gōu	`gōu`	kou˥	hook
7	二	—	èr	`èr`	ɚ˥˩	two
8	亠	—	tóu	`tóu`	tʰou˧˥	lid
9	人	亻	rén	`rén`	ʐən˧˥	person
10	儿	—	ér	`ér`	ɚ˧˥	legs
11	入	—	rù	`rù`	ʐu˥˩	enter
12	八	丷	bā	`bā`	pa˥	eight
13	冂	—	jiǒng	`jiǒng`	tɕjʊŋ˨˩˦	down box
14	冖	—	mì	`mì`	mi˥˩	cover
15	冫	—	bīng	`bīng`	piŋ˥	ice
16	几	—	jī	`jī`	tɕi˥	table
17	凵	—	qǔ	`qǔ`	tɕʰy˨˩˦	open box
18	刀	刂	dāo	`dāo`	tau˥	knife
19	力	—	lì	`lì`	li˥˩	power
20	勹	—	bāo	`bāo`	pau˥	wrap
21	匕	—	bǐ	`bǐ`	pi˨˩˦	ladle
22	匚	—	fāng	`fāng`	faŋ˥	right open box
23	匸	—	xǐ	`xǐ`	ɕi˨˩˦	hiding enclosure
24	十	—	shí	`shí`	ʂɻ̩˧˥	ten
25	卜	—	bǔ	`bǔ`	pu˨˩˦	divination
26	卩	—	jié	`jié`	tɕjɛ˧˥	seal
27	厂	—	hàn	`hàn`	xan˥˩	cliff
28	厶	—	sī	`sī`	sɹ̩˥	private
29	又	—	yòu	`yòu`	jou˥˩	again
30	口	—	kǒu	`kǒu`	kʰou˨˩˦	mouth
31	囗	—	wéi	`wéi`	wei˧˥	enclosure
32	土	—	tǔ	`tǔ`	tʰu˨˩˦	earth
33	士	—	shì	`shì`	ʂɻ̩˥˩	scholar
34	夂	—	zhǐ	`zhǐ`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˨˩˦	go
35	夊	—	suī	`suī`	swei˥	go slowly
36	夕	—	xī	`xī`	ɕi˥	night
37	大	—	dà	`dà`	ta˥˩	big
38	女	—	nǚ	`nǚ`	ny˨˩˦	woman
39	子	—	zǐ	`zǐ`	t͡sɹ̩˨˩˦	child
40	宀	—	mián	`mián`	mjɛn˧˥	roof
41	寸	—	cùn	`cùn`	t͡sʰwən˥˩	inch
42	小	—	xiǎo	`xiǎo`	ɕjɑʊ˨˩˦	small
43	尢	尣	yóu	`yóu`	jou˧˥	lame
44	尸	—	shī	`shī`	ʂɻ̩˥	corpse
45	屮	—	chè	`chè`	ʈ͡ʂʰɤ˥˩	sprout
46	山	—	shān	`shān`	ʂan˥	mountain
47	川	巛巜	chuān	`chuān`	ʈ͡ʂʰwan˥	river
48	工	—	gōng	`gōng`	kʊŋ˥	work
49	己	—	jǐ	`jǐ`	tɕi˨˩˦	oneself
50	巾	—	jīn	`jīn`	tɕin˥	towel
51	干	—	gān	`gān`	kan˥	dry
52	幺	—	yāo	`yāo`	jɑʊ˥	thread
53	广	—	guǎng	`guǎng`	kwaŋ˨˩˦	shelter
54	廴	—	yǐn	`yǐn`	in˨˩˦	stride
55	廾	—	gǒng	`gǒng`	kʊŋ˨˩˦	hands joined
56	弋	—	yì	`yì`	i˥˩	shoot with a bow
57	弓	—	gōng	`gōng`	kʊŋ˥	bow
58	彐	彑	jì	`jì`	tɕi˥˩	snout
59	彡	—	shān	`shān`	ʂan˥	hair
60	彳	—	chì	`chì`	ʈ͡ʂʰɻ̩˥˩	step
61	心	忄	xīn	`xīn`	ɕin˥	heart
62	戈	—	gē	`gē`	kɤ˥	spear
63	户	—	hù	`hù`	xu˥˩	door
64	手	扌	shǒu	`shǒu`	ʂou˨˩˦	hand
65	支	—	zhī	`zhī`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˥	branch
66	攴	攵	pū	`pū`	pʰu˥	rap
67	文	—	wén	`wén`	wən˧˥	script
68	斗	—	dǒu	`dǒu`	tou˨˩˦	dipper
69	斤	—	jīn	`jīn`	tɕin˥	axe
70	方	—	fāng	`fāng`	faŋ˥	square
71	无	—	wú	`wú`	u˧˥	not
72	日	—	rì	`rì`	ʐɻ̩˥˩	sun
73	曰	—	yuē	`yuē`	ɥɛ˥	say
74	月	—	yuè	`yuè`	ɥɛ˥˩	moon
75	木	—	mù	`mù`	mu˥˩	tree
76	欠	—	qiàn	`qiàn`	tɕʰjɛn˥˩	lack
77	止	—	zhǐ	`zhǐ`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˨˩˦	stop
78	歹	—	dǎi	`dǎi`	tai˨˩˦	death
79	殳	—	shū	`shū`	ʂu˥	weapon
80	母	毋	mǔ	`mǔ`	mu˨˩˦	mother
81	比	—	bǐ	`bǐ`	pi˨˩˦	compare
82	毛	—	máo	`máo`	mɑʊ˧˥	fur
83	氏	—	shì	`shì`	ʂɻ̩˥˩	clan
84	气	—	qì	`qì`	tɕʰi˥˩	steam
85	水	氵	shuǐ	`shuǐ`	ʂwei˨˩˦	water
86	火	灬	huǒ	`huǒ`	xwo˨˩˦	fire
87	爪	爫	zhǎo	`zhǎo`	ʈ͡ʂɑʊ˨˩˦	claw
88	父	—	fù	`fù`	fu˥˩	father
89	爻	—	yáo	`yáo`	jɑʊ˧˥	lines on a trigram
90	爿	—	qiáng	`qiáng`	tɕʰjɑŋ˧˥	half of a tree trunk
91	片	—	piàn	`piàn`	pʰjɛn˥˩	slice
92	牙	—	yá	`yá`	ja˧˥	tooth
93	牛	牜	niú	`niú`	njoʊ˧˥	cow
94	犬	犭	quǎn	`quǎn`	tɕʰɥɛn˨˩˦	dog
95	玄	—	xuán	`xuán`	ɕɥɛn˧˥	profound
96	玉	王	yù	`yù`	y˥˩	jade
97	瓜	—	guā	`guā`	kwa˥	melon
98	瓦	—	wǎ	`wǎ`	wa˨˩˦	tile
99	甘	—	gān	`gān`	kan˥	sweet
100	生	—	shēng	`shēng`	ʂəŋ˥	life
101	用	—	yòng	`yòng`	jʊŋ˥˩	use
102	田	—	tián	`tián`	tʰjɛn˧˥	field
103	疋	—	pǐ	`pǐ`	pʰi˨˩˦	cloth
104	疒	—	bìng	`bìng`	piŋ˥˩	ill
105	癶	—	bō	`bō`	pwo˥	footsteps
106	白	—	bái	`bái`	pai˧˥	white
107	皮	—	pí	`pí`	pʰi˧˥	skin
108	皿	—	mǐn	`mǐn`	min˨˩˦	dish
109	目	—	mù	`mù`	mu˥˩	eye
110	矛	—	máo	`máo`	mɑʊ˧˥	spear
111	矢	—	shǐ	`shǐ`	ʂɻ̩˨˩˦	arrow
112	石	—	shí	`shí`	ʂɻ̩˧˥	stone
113	示	礻	shì	`shì`	ʂɻ̩˥˩	spirit
114	禸	—	róu	`róu`	ʐou˧˥	track
115	禾	—	hé	`hé`	xɤ˧˥	grain
116	穴	—	xué	`xué`	ɕɥɛ˧˥	cave
117	立	—	lì	`lì`	li˥˩	stand
118	竹	—	zhú	`zhú`	ʈ͡ʂu˧˥	bamboo
119	米	—	mǐ	`mǐ`	mi˨˩˦	rice
120	糸	纟	sī	`sī`	sɹ̩˥	silk
121	缶	—	fǒu	`fǒu`	fou˨˩˦	jar
122	网	罒	wǎng	`wǎng`	waŋ˨˩˦	net
123	羊	—	yáng	`yáng`	jɑŋ˧˥	sheep
124	羽	—	yǔ	`yǔ`	y˨˩˦	feather
125	老	—	lǎo	`lǎo`	lɑʊ˨˩˦	old
126	而	—	ér	`ér`	ɚ˧˥	and
127	耒	—	lěi	`lěi`	lei˨˩˦	plow
128	耳	—	ěr	`ěr`	ɚ˨˩˦	ear
129	聿	—	yù	`yù`	y˥˩	brush
130	肉	—	ròu	`ròu`	ʐou˥˩	meat
131	臣	—	chén	`chén`	ʈ͡ʂʰən˧˥	minister
132	自	—	zì	`zì`	t͡sɹ̩˥˩	oneself
133	至	—	zhì	`zhì`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˥˩	arrive
134	臼	—	jiù	`jiù`	tɕjoʊ˥˩	mortar
135	舌	—	shé	`shé`	ʂɤ˧˥	tongue
136	舛	—	chuǎn	`chuǎn`	ʈ͡ʂʰwan˨˩˦	contrary
137	舟	—	zhōu	`zhōu`	ʈ͡ʂou˥	boat
138	艮	—	gèn	`gèn`	kən˥˩	mountain
139	色	—	sè	`sè`	sɤ˥˩	color
140	艸	艹	cǎo	`cǎo`	t͡sʰɑʊ˨˩˦	grass
141	虍	—	hǔ	`hǔ`	xu˨˩˦	tiger
142	虫	—	chóng	`chóng`	ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ˧˥	insect
143	血	—	xuè	`xuè`	ɕɥɛ˥˩	blood
144	行	—	xíng	`xíng`	ɕiŋ˧˥	walk
145	衣	衤	yī	`yī`	i˥	clothes
146	西	覀	xī	`xī`	ɕi˥	west
147	见	見	jiàn	`jiàn`	tɕjɛn˥˩	see
148	角	—	jiǎo	`jiǎo`	tɕjɑʊ˨˩˦	horn
149	言	讠	yán	`yán`	jɛn˧˥	speech
150	谷	—	gǔ	`gǔ`	ku˨˩˦	valley
151	豆	—	dòu	`dòu`	tou˥˩	bean
152	豕	—	shǐ	`shǐ`	ʂɻ̩˨˩˦	pig
153	豸	—	zhì	`zhì`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˥˩	badger
154	贝	貝	bèi	`bèi`	pei˥˩	shell
155	赤	—	chì	`chì`	ʈ͡ʂʰɻ̩˥˩	red
156	走	—	zǒu	`zǒu`	t͡sou˨˩˦	walk
157	足	—	zú	`zú`	t͡su˧˥	foot
158	身	—	shēn	`shēn`	ʂən˥	body
159	车	車	chē	`chē`	ʈ͡ʂʰɤ˥	cart
160	辛	—	xīn	`xīn`	ɕin˥	bitter
161	辰	—	chén	`chén`	ʈ͡ʂʰən˧˥	morning
162	辶	—	chuò	`chuò`	ʈ͡ʂʰwo˥˩	walk (road)
163	邑	阝(right)	yì	`yì`	i˥˩	city
164	酉	—	yǒu	`yǒu`	jou˨˩˦	wine
165	釆	—	biàn	`biàn`	pjɛn˥˩	distinguish
166	里	—	lǐ	`lǐ`	li˨˩˦	village
167	金	钅	jīn	`jīn`	tɕin˥	metal
168	长	長	cháng	`cháng`	ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ˧˥	long
169	门	門	mén	`mén`	mən˧˥	gate
170	阜	阝(left)	fù	`fù`	fu˥˩	mound
171	隶	—	lì	`lì`	li˥˩	slave
172	隹	—	zhuī	`zhuī`	ʈ͡ʂwei˥	short-tailed bird
173	雨	—	yǔ	`yǔ`	y˨˩˦	rain
174	青	—	qīng	`qīng`	tɕʰiŋ˥	blue-green
175	非	—	fēi	`fēi`	fei˥	wrong
176	面	—	miàn	`miàn`	mjɛn˥˩	face
177	革	—	gé	`gé`	kɤ˧˥	leather
178	韦	韋	wéi	`wéi`	wei˧˥	soft leather
179	韭	—	jiǔ	`jiǔ`	tɕjoʊ˨˩˦	leek
180	音	—	yīn	`yīn`	in˥	sound
181	页	頁	yè	`yè`	jɛ˥˩	page
182	风	風	fēng	`fēng`	fəŋ˥	wind
183	飞	飛	fēi	`fēi`	fei˥	fly
184	食	饣飠	shí	`shí`	ʂɻ̩˧˥	eat
185	首	—	shǒu	`shǒu`	ʂou˨˩˦	head
186	香	—	xiāng	`xiāng`	ɕjɑŋ˥	fragrant
187	马	馬	mǎ	`mǎ`	ma˨˩˦	horse
188	骨	—	gǔ	`gǔ`	ku˨˩˦	bone
189	高	—	gāo	`gāo`	kɑʊ˥	high
190	髟	—	biāo	`biāo`	pjɑʊ˥	long hair
191	鬥	—	dòu	`dòu`	tou˥˩	fight
192	鬯	—	chàng	`chàng`	ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ˥˩	sacrificial wine
193	鬲	—	lì	`lì`	li˥˩	cauldron
194	鬼	—	guǐ	`guǐ`	kwei˨˩˦	ghost
195	鱼	魚	yú	`yú`	y˧˥	fish
196	鸟	鳥	niǎo	`niǎo`	njɑʊ˨˩˦	bird
197	卤	—	lǔ	`lǔ`	lu˨˩˦	salty
198	鹿	—	lù	`lù`	lu˥˩	deer
199	麦	麥	mài	`mài`	mai˥˩	wheat
200	麻	—	má	`má`	ma˧˥	hemp
201	黄	—	huáng	`huáng`	xwɑŋ˧˥	yellow
202	黍	—	shǔ	`shǔ`	ʂu˨˩˦	millet
203	黑	—	hēi	`hēi`	xei˥	black
204	黹	—	zhǐ	`zhǐ`	ʈ͡ʂɻ̩˨˩˦	embroidery
205	黾	黽	mǐn	`mǐn`	min˨˩˦	frog
206	鼎	—	dǐng	`dǐng`	tiŋ˨˩˦	tripod
207	鼓	—	gǔ	`gǔ`	ku˨˩˦	drum
208	鼠	—	shǔ	`shǔ`	ʂu˨˩˦	rat
209	鼻	—	bí	`bí`	pi˧˥	nose
210	齐	齊	qí	`qí`	tɕʰi˧˥	even
211	齿	齒	chǐ	`chǐ`	ʈ͡ʂʰɻ̩˨˩˦	tooth
212	龙	龍	lóng	`lóng`	lʊŋ˧˥	dragon
213	龟	龜	guī	`guī`	kwei˥	turtle
214	龠	—	yuè	`yuè`	ɥɛ˥˩	flute

Most used combinations

The sequences you'll meet constantly — learn them as units.

Sequence	Sound	What's going on	Example
氵+ X (left)	—	The water key squeezes to three drops on the LEFT. It can't sit anywhere else — position is part of the key's identity.	河 river · 湖 lake · 海 sea · 酒 alcohol
亻+ X (left)	—	Person, compressed to the left side.	你 you · 他 he · 住 to live · 什 what
扌+ X (left)	—	Hand on the left = the character is probably an action you do with hands.	打 hit · 拉 pull · 推 push · 找 find
讠+ X (left)	—	Speech on the left = talking is involved.	说 speak · 话 words · 请 please · 谢 thank
忄+ X (left)	—	Heart on the left = a feeling.	怕 fear · 快 fast/happy · 忙 busy · 惊 startled
艹 + X (top)	—	Grass ONLY ever sits on top.	花 flower · 草 grass · 茶 tea · 药 medicine
宀 + X (top)	—	The roof covers the character: things under a roof.	家 home · 安 peace (woman under a roof) · 室 room
灬 (bottom)	—	Fire flattens into four licks of flame at the BOTTOM.	热 hot · 煮 boil · 照 shine
囗 + X (around)	—	The enclosure wraps the whole character.	国 country · 园 garden · 回 return · 因 because
辶 + X (wrap below)	—	The road key hugs the bottom-left: movement.	这 this · 过 pass · 送 send · 远 far

Rules of the system

How the signs behave together.

Sequence	Sound	What's going on	Example
key + phonetic	—	~80% of characters are semantic-phonetic compounds: the key gives the topic, the rest hints the sound.	妈 mā = 女 woman + 马 mǎ (sound) · 洋 yáng ocean = 氵water + 羊 yáng (sound)
亻 vs 人 vs 入	—	Compressed variants only appear in their position: full 人 stands alone or on top (个), 亻 only on the left. And 入 'enter' is a different key that merely looks like 人 — the classic beginner confusion.

Incompatible combinations

What this writing system does not allow — knowing the impossible prunes the search space.

Sequence	Sound	What's going on	Example
氵 on the right / 艹 at the bottom	—	Position variants are fixed: 氵 never appears on the right, 艹 never at the bottom, 灬 never on top, left-阝 is mound (阜) while right-阝 is city (邑) — SAME shape, different key depending on side.