Still struggling to memorize Chinese characters?
Today, we’ll explore 10 of the most common radicals that appear in hundreds of characters. Once you recognize them, you’ll start seeing patterns everywhere — and memorizing new words will become much easier.
Quick Refresher: What Is a Radical?
Think of radicals as the “meaning clues” in Chinese characters.
Most Chinese characters are made up of:
- A radical → tells you what the word means or relates to
- A phonetic part → gives a hint about how it sounds
Today, we’re focusing on the meaning side — the radicals that make characters make sense.
Radicals Covered in the Video:
Sample Words for Each of the Radicals Covered in the Video:
宀 (mián) — Roof
Meaning: Things related to houses, buildings, or being inside
Examples:
- 家 (jiā) — home
- 客 (kè) — guest
- 安 (ān) — safe (“A woman 女 under a roof 宀 is safe!”)
- 室 (shì) — room
Memory tip:
If you see 宀, think of a roof overhead. It’s about home, safety, or shelter.
目 (mù) — Eye
Meaning: Seeing, looking, or sight
Examples:
- 看 (kàn) — to look
- 眼 (yǎn) — eye
- 睛 (jīng) — eyeball (as in 眼睛 yǎnjing — eyes)
- 睡 (shuì) — to sleep (“Eyes drooping!”
)
Memory tip:
If you spot 目, it’s almost always connected to vision or the eyes.
犭 (quǎn) — Animal / Dog
Meaning: Animals or creatures
Examples:
- 狗 (gǒu) — dog
- 猫 (māo) — cat
- 猴 (hóu) — monkey
- 猪 (zhū) — pig
Memory tip:
See 犭? You’re in the zoo! 
It’s all about animals.
饣 (shí) — Food / Eat
Meaning: Food, eating, or drinking
Examples:
- 饭 (fàn) — rice, meal
- 饿 (è) — hungry
- 饮 (yǐn) — drink
- 饱 (bǎo) — full (after eating)
Memory tip:
If there’s 饣, it’s something you can eat, drink, or digest!
刂 (dāo) — Knife
Meaning: Cutting, carving, or separation
Examples:
- 刮 (guā) — to scrape
- 刻 (kè) — to carve or engrave
- 利 (lì) — sharp
- 别 (bié) — to separate / don’t
Memory tip:
A character with 刂 is sharp — literally or figuratively!
钅 (jīn) — Metal / Gold
Meaning: Metals, tools, or money
Examples:
- 钱 (qián) — money
- 银 (yín) — silver
- 铁 (tiě) — iron
- 钟 (zhōng) — clock
Memory tip:
See 钅 on the left? Think metal, tools, or treasure!
疒 (nè) — Sickness
Meaning: Illness, pain, or healing
Examples:
- 病 (bìng) — sickness
- 疼 (téng) — pain
- 瘦 (shòu) — thin
- 疗 (liáo) — to treat or heal
Memory tip:
When 疒 appears, it usually means something uncomfortable — think sick in bed. 
纟 (sī) — Silk / Thread
Meaning: Threads, fibers, or connections
Examples:
- 线 (xiàn) — thread, line
- 纸 (zhǐ) — paper
- 经 (jīng) — to pass through (like a thread running through)
- 级 (jí) — level or rank
Memory tip:
Spot 纟 on the left? Think silk, strings, or connection.
⻖ (fù) — Mound / Hill
Meaning: Landforms, direction, or terrain
Examples:
- 院 (yuàn) — courtyard
- 阳 (yáng) — sun (“The sunny side of the hill”)
- 阴 (yīn) — shade (“The shady side of the hill”)
- 队 (duì) — team (people lined up on a slope!)
Memory tip:
When you see ⻖ on the left, think land, level, or geography.
月 (yuè) — Moon / Flesh
Meaning: Moon (on the right) or body parts (on the left!)
Examples:
- 脸 (liǎn) — face
- 腿 (tuǐ) — leg
- 脚 (jiǎo) — foot
- 朋 (péng) — friend (“Two moons = friends!”)
Memory tip:
If 月 is on the left → body part.
If 月 is on the right → think moon or time!
Quick Review
Let’s recap the 10 radicals you just learned:
| Radical | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 宀 | Roof / House | 家 (home) |
| 目 | Eye / Vision | 看 (look) |
| 犭 | Animal | 猫 (cat) |
| 饣 | Food / Eat | 饭 (meal) |
| 刂 | Knife / Cut | 利 (sharp) |
| 钅 | Metal / Gold | 钱 (money) |
| 疒 | Sickness | 病 (sick) |
| 纟 | Silk / Thread | 线 (thread) |
| ⻖ | Hill / Land | 阳 (sun) |
| 月 | Moon / Flesh | 脸 (face) |
Test Yourself!
Can you guess the meaning based on the radical?
- 安 (ān) → ?
Roof 宀 → Safe / Peace - 猫 (māo) → ? Animal 犭 → Cat
- 钱 (qián) → ? Metal 钅 → Money
- 病 (bìng) → ? Sickness 疒 → Illness
Bonus:
脸 (liǎn) → ? Flesh 月 → Face
Free Download: Chinese Radical Cheat Sheet (Part 2)
To help you remember these radicals and practice them, we’ve created a free printable PDF cheat sheet with all 10 radicals, example words, and meanings.
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