L19: Radicals of Words 部首

To recognize Chinese words look difficult for those who do not know what is "radicals of words" 部首.

A radical is actually part of a word that show the basic meaning. By seeing the radical, you can sometimes guess the meaning.

Words with the same radicals are put in groups for easy searching in front few pages of the dictionaries, but in main text, arrange in hanyu pinyin, that is a-z manner.

eg: basic meanings are given follow each radical.

1. Radicals in left or right sides:

• • 单人旁「亻」man 他，你，伯
    
  • 提手旁「扌」actions with hand 打，抛，拍
    
  • 竖心旁「忄」emotion 情，忧
    
  • 立刀旁「刂」cut with knife 剖，削
    
  • 丝字旁「糹」silk 丝，绸
    
  • 犬部 「犭」animals 狗，狼
    
  • 衣字旁「衤」shirt 衫，袜
    
  • 示字旁「礻」god 神，祗
    
  • 走之底「辶」、「⻌」、「⻍」walk 遨，过
    
  • 足字底「⻊」actions with legs 踢，跳
  • 两点水「冫」ice 冰，冲
  • 三点水「氵」water 洗，沐，浴
    
• 
  
• 2. Radicals on top or cover from top:
• 
  
  • 竹字头「⺮」bamboo 答，篷
    
  • 草字头「艹」grass 草，花
    
  • 病字头「疒」sickness 癌，病
    
• 
  
• 3. Radical at bottom:
• • 四点火（四點底）「灬」fire 点，煮
    

Here are just few examples. If you can understand and memorise then you are a fast learner.
See this 部首“鱼”yú，can you guess what this radical means? Yes, fish! 鱼 itself is a word too.

Do not worry if you cannot digest what taught here, it takes time.