The Writing Course the Radically Easy Way to Learn to Write by Ear

Kanji are classified in kanji dictionaries according to their main components which are called radicals (roots) in English and 部首 (ぶしゅ) in Japanese. 部 (ぶ) means a group and 首 (しゅ) means a chief (head/neck). There are 214 historical radicals derived from the 18th century Kangxi dictionary.

Every kanji without exception only has one radical / 部首 (ぶしゅ). Each radical has a meaning(s) and lends its meaning(s) to the kanji of which it is part. Please take a look at the examples below. The right part of these three kanji is the same but the left part is different. The left part of these kanji is their radical. Note how each radical imparts its meaning to the kanji:

時:  The radical of this kanji is 日 (sun, day, time). The meaning of this kanji is "time."
詩:  The radical of this kanji is 言 (words, to speak, say). The meaning of this kanji is "poetry, poem".
持:  The radical of this kanji is 扌(hand). The meaning of this kanji is "to hold".

For this reason it is very important to learn each kanji's radical, as well as the meaning(s) of its radical. Not all 214 radicals are in use in current Japanese but you will soon become familiar with the most important ones and their variants.

There are no official Japanese names for radicals. But there are certain commonly-used names. That is why you will find differences in the Japanese names for the radicals on different websites and dictionaries.

Radicals are categorized into seven main groups according to their position within a kanji. Please note that some kanji are also radicals in and of themselves (such as 大, 日, 月). In those cases, the kanji and the radical are one and the same, and thus the position of the radical in the kanji is irrelevant. As a result they do not fall into any one of the seven categories.

へん (hen)		Radicals on the left side of the kanji
つくり (tsukuri)		Radicals on the right
かんむり (kanmuri)		Radicals on the top
あし (ashi)		Radicals on the bottom
かまえ (kamae)		Radicals which enclose the kanji
たれ (tare)		Radicals which "hang down"
にょう (nyou)		Radicals which wrap around the bottom of a character

With our web application (https://app.kanjialive.com) you can search for kanji by radical name, stroke, meaning or position using the Advanced Search syntax (for example, rjn:miru or rjn:みる to search by Japanese name, rs:7 to search by stroke number,rem:see to search by English meaning, and rpos:かんむり or rpos:tsukuri to search for kanji by the position of the radical). Please consult our User Guide to learn about additional search options.

Tip:By default, the radicals in the list below are presented in ascending stroke order. However you can also focus on a specific stroke number or look for individual radicals by using the "Search" field at the top of the table. Alternatively you can click on a column heading to sort the entire table by that heading. This is also a good way to focus on just the most important radicals. Clicking on the "a variant of.." link scrolls the page to the original version of that radical.

Tip: You can also use the table's own search field to search/filter radicals by position. Use the radical positions table as a reference. For example, to view all radicals in the "hang down" position, type たれ or "tare" into the search field. To avoid ambiguities amongst the different kinds of "enclosed" radicals, search for these in hiragana. Placing your mouse pointer over any position symbol in the radical table reveals its Japanese name.

Fonts: Many of the radical characters shown on this list are not supported by the Japanese fonts widely used on Windows, OS X or Linux (some not even in Unicode). For these reasons we created Japanese Radicals, an open-source font derived from Source Han Sans with 60 custom glyphs which add support for every Japanese radical and variant. The font is freely available for private or commercial use.

Tip: If you'd like a copy of the radicals tables in a format better suited for printing or if you'd like to re-use this data in another application, please visit our open-source repository on GitHub. Most of the language data and media files used in Kanji alive are freely available under a Creative Commons CC-BY license.

Stroke#	Radical	Position	Meaning	Reading	Notes	Importance
1	⼀		one, horizontal stroke	いち
1	⼁		vertical stroke	たてぼう
1	⼂		dot	てん
1	⼃		diagonal sweeping stroke	の
1			diagonal sweeping stroke	のかんむり	a variant of ⼃（の）
1	⼄		the second	おつ
1	⺃		the second	おつ	a variant of ⼄（おつ）
1	⼅		vertical stroke with a hook	はねぼう
2	⼆		two	に
2	⼇		lid, top	なべぶた		Important
2	⼈		person	ひと
2	⺅		person	にんべん	a variant of ⼈（ひと）	Important
2	𠆢		person	ひとやね	a variant of ⼈（ひと）	Important
2	⼉		human legs	ひとあし		Important
2	⼊		to enter	いる
2	⼋		eight	はち
2			eight	はちがしら	a variant of ⼋（はち）
2	⼌		to enclose	けいがまえ
2	⼍		cover, crown	わかんむり		Important
2	⼎		ice	にすい
2	⼏		table	きにょう
2	⺇		wind	かぜかんむり	a variant of ⼏（きにょう）
2	⼐		container, open box	かんにょう
2	⼑		knife, sword	かたな
2	⺉		knife, sword	りっとう	a variant of ⼑（かたな）	Important
2	⼒		power	ちから
2	⼓		to wrap	つつみがまえ
2	⼔		spoon	さじ
2	⼕		box	はこがまえ
2	⼖		to conceal, hide	かくしがまえ
2	⼗		ten	じゅう
2	⼘		oracle	ぼく
2	⼙		stamp, seal	ふしづくり
2	⼚		cliff	がんだれ		Important
2	⼛		private, Katakana Mu	む
2	⼜		again, right hand	また
3	⼝		mouth	くち
3			mouth	くちへん	a variant of ⼝（くち）	Important
3	⼞		border, territorial boundaries	くにがまえ		Important
3	⼟		earth	つち
3			earth	つちへん	a variant of ⼟（つち）	Important
3	⼠		man, scholar, samurai	さむらい
3			man, scholar, samurai	さむらいかんむり	a variant of ⼠（さむらい）
3	⼡		to follow	のまた
3	⼢		to go slowly	なつあし
3	⼣		evening	ゆうべ
3	⼤		large, big	だい
3	⼥		woman	おんな
3			woman	おんなへん	a variant of ⼥（おんな）	Important
3	⼦		child, son	こ
3			child, son	こへん	a variant of ⼦（こ）	Important
3	⼧		roof, house	うかんむり		Important
3	⼨		inch, (2.25 cm)	すん
3			inch, (2.25 cm)	すんづくり	a variant of ⼨（すん）
3	⼩		small	しょう
3	⺌		small	しょうかんむり	a variant of ⼩（しょう）
3	⺐		lame leg	だいのまげあし
3	⼫		corpse, awning	しかばね
3	⼬		sprout	くさのめ
3	⼭		mountain	やま
3			mountain	やまへん	a variant of ⼭（やま）
3			mountain	やまかんむり	a variant of ⼭（やま）
3	⼮		winding river	まがりがわ
3	川		river	さんぼんがわ	a variant of ⼮（まがりがわ）
3	⼯		work, carpenter, skill	たくみ
3			work, carpenter, skill	たくみへん	a variant of ⼯（たくみ）
3	⼰		self	おのれ
3	⼱		cloth	はば
3			cloth	はばへん	a variant of ⼱（はば）
3	⼲		to dry, shield	かん
3	⺓		young, slight	いとがしら
3	⼴		slanting roof	まだれ		Important
3	⼵		to move, stretch	えんにょう
3	⼶		folded hands	にじゅうあし
3	⼷		javelin	いぐるみ
3	⼸		bow （in archery）	ゆみ
3			bow （in archery）	ゆみへん	a variant of ⼸（ゆみ）
3	⼹		pig's head	けいがしら
3	⺕		pig's head	けいがしら	a variant of ⼹（けいがしら）
3	⺔		pig's head	けいがしら	a variant of ⼹（けいがしら）
3	⼺		hair-style, light rays	さんづくり
3	⼻		step, stride, street, to go	ぎょうにんべん		Important
3	⺾		grass	くさかんむり	a variant of ⾋（くさ）	Important
3	⻌		road, walk, to advance	しんにょう	a variant of ⾡（しんにょう）	Important
3	⻏		village, country, city	おおざと	a variant of ⾢（むら）	Important
3	⻖		hill, mound	こざとへん	a variant of ⾩（こざと）	Important
3	⺍		Katakana Tsu	つ
3	⺖		heart, mind, spirit	りっしんべん	a variant of ⼼（こころ）	Important
3	⺘		hand	てへん	a variant of ⼿（て）	Important
3	⺡		water	さんずい	a variant of ⽔（みず）	Important
3	⺨		beast	けものへん	a variant of ⽝（いぬ）	Important
4	⼼		heart, mind, spirit	こころ
4	⺗		heart, mind, spirit	したごころ	a variant of ⼼（こころ）
4	⼽		spear, weapon	ほこ
4	⼾		door	と
4			door	とだれ	a variant of ⼾（と）
4	⼿		hand	て
4	⽀		branch	しにょう
4	⽁		activity, to strike, hit	ぼくづくり
4	⺙		activity, to strike, hit	ぼくづくり	a variant of ⽁（ぼくづくり）	Important
4	⽂		literature, letters	ぶん
4	⽃		big dipper, ladle, 18 liters	ますづくり
4	⽄		axe	おのづくり
4	⽅		direction, flag	ほう
4			direction, flag	ほうへん	a variant of ⽅（ほう）
4	⽆		not	むにょう
4	⽇		sun, day, time	ひ
4			sun, day, time	ひへん	a variant of ⽇（ひ）	Important
4	⽈		to say	ひらび
4	⽉		moon, month, period	つき
4	⺝		moon, month, period	つきへん	a variant of ⽉（つき）
4			meat, flesh	にくづき	a variant of ⾁（にく）	Important
4	⽊		tree, wood	き
4			tree, wood	きへん	a variant of ⽊（き）	Important
4	⽋		to lack, yawn	あくび
4	⽌		to stop	とめる
4	⽍		death & dying, to decompose	がつ
4			death & dying, to decompose	がつへん	a variant of ⽍（がつ）
4	⽎		lance shaft, action	るまた
4	⽏		not, mother	なかれ
4	⽐		to compare	くらべる
4	⽑		hair	け
4	⽒		family, clan	うじ
4	⽓		steam, air	きがまえ
4	⽔		water	みず
4	⽕		fire	ひ
4			fire	ひへん	a variant of ⽕（ひ）	Important
4	⺣		fire	れっか	a variant of ⽕（ひ）	Important
4	⽖		claw, nail	つめ
4	⺤		claw, nail	つめかんむり	a variant of ⽖（つめ）
4	爫		claw, nail	つめかんむり	a variant of ⽖（つめ）
4	⽗		father	ちち
4	⽘		to mix	こう
4	⽙		split wood	しょうへん
4	⽚		split wood	かた
4			split wood	かたへん	a variant of ⽚（かた）
4			fang, canine tooth	きば
4	⽜		cow	うし
4			cow	うしへん	a variant of ⽜（うし）
4	⽝		dog	いぬ
4			jewelry, jeweled king	おうへん	a variant of ⽟（たま）	Important
4	⺭		altar, festival, religious service	しめすへん	a variant of ⽰（しめす）	Important
4	㓁		net	あみがしら	a variant of ⽹（あみ）
4	⺹		old, old-age	おいかんむり	a variant of ⽼（おいかんむり）
5	⽞		darkness	げん
5	⽟		jewelry	たま
5			melon	うり
5	⽡		tile	かわら
5	⽢		sweet	あまい
5	⽣		birth, to be born, live	うまれる
5	⽤		to use	もちいる
5	⽥		rice paddy	た
5			rice paddy	たへん	a variant of ⽥（た）
5	⽦		bolt of cloth	ひき
5	⺪		bolt of cloth	ひきへん	a variant of ⽦（ひき）
5	⽧		sickness	やまいだれ		Important
5	⽨		outspread legs, departure	はつがしら
5	⽩		white	しろ
5			white	はくへん	a variant of ⽩（しろ）
5	⽪		skin, hide	けがわ
5	⽫		plate, bowl	さら
5	⽬		eye	め
5			eye	めへん	a variant of ⽬（め）	Important
5			eye	よこめ	a variant of ⽬（め）
5	⽭		halberd	ほこ
5			halberd	ほこへん	a variant of ⽭（ほこ）
5	⽮		arrow	や
5			arrow	やへん	a variant of ⽮（や）
5	⽯		stone	いし
5			stone	いしへん	a variant of ⽯（いし）
5	⽰		altar, festival, religious service	しめす
5	⽱		footprint	じゅうのあし
5	⽲		grain	のぎへん		Important
5	⽳		hole, cave	あな
5			hole, cave	あなかんむり	a variant of ⽳（あな）	Important
5	⽴		to stand	たつ
5			to stand	たつへん	a variant of ⽴（たつ）
5			fang, canine tooth	きば	a variant of （きば）
5			fang, canine tooth	きばへん	a variant of ⽛（きば）
5	氺		water	したみず	a variant of ⽔（みず）
5	⺫		net	あみがしら	a variant of ⽹（あみ）
5	𦉰		net	あみがしら	a variant of ⽹（あみ）
5	⻂		clothing	ころもへん	a variant of ⾐（ころも）	Important
5	⺛		not	むにょう	a variant of ⽆（むにょう）
6	⽵		bamboo	たけ
6	⺮		bamboo	たけかんむり	a variant of ⽵（たけ）	Important
6	⽶		rice	こめ
6			rice	こめへん	a variant of ⽶（こめ）	Important
6	⽷		thread	いと
6			thread	いとへん	a variant of ⽷（いと）	Important
6	⽸		earthen jar	みずがめ
6	⽹		net	あみめ
6	⽺		sheep	ひつじ
6	⺷		sheep	ひつじ	a variant of ⽺（ひつじ）
6	羽		feather, wing	はね
6	⽻		feather, wing	はね	a variant of 羽（はね）
6	⽼		old, old-age	おいかんむり
6	⽽		and also	しこうして
6	⽾		plow	らいすき
6	⽿		ear	みみ
6			ear	みみへん	a variant of ⽿（みみ）
6	⾀		writing brush	ふでづくり
6	⾁		flesh, meat	にく
6	⾂		retainer, minister	しん
6	⾃		self	みずから
6	⾄		to arrive, reach	いたる
6			to arrive, reach	いたるへん	a variant of ⾄（いたる）
6	⾅		mortar, quern	うす
6	⾆		tongue	した
6	⾇		contrary, to err	まいあし
6	⾈		ship, boat	ふね
6			ship, boat	ふねへん	a variant of ⾈（ふね）
6	⾉		boundary	こん
6	⾊		color	いろ
6	⾋		grass, plant	くさ
6	⾌		tiger	とらがしら
6	⾍		worm, insect, bug	むし
6			worm, insect, bug	むしへん	a variant of ⾍（むし）	Important
6	⾎		blood	ち
6	⾏		to go	ぎょうがまえ		Important
6	⾐		clothing	ころも
6	⾑		cover, west	にし
6	⻃		cover, west	にし	a variant of ⾑（にし）
6	⽠		melon	うり	a variant of ⽠（うり）
7	⾒		to see	みる
7	⾓		horn, corner	つの
7			horn, corner	つのへん	a variant of ⾓（つの）
7	⾔		words, to speak, say	げん
7			words, to speak, say	ごんべん	a variant of ⾔（げん）	Important
7	⾕		valley	たに
7			valley	たにへん	a variant of ⾕（たに）
7	⾖		bean	まめ
7			bean	まめへん	a variant of ⾖（まめ）
7	⾗		pig	いのこ
7	⾘		badger	むじなへん
7	⾙		shell, property, wealth	かい
7			shell, property, wealth	かいへん	a variant of ⾙（かい）	Important
7	⾚		red	あか
7	⾛		to run	はしる
7			to run	そうにょう	a variant of ⾛（はしる）	Important
7	⾜		foot, leg	あし
7	⻊		foot, leg	あしへん	a variant of ⾜（あし）	Important
7	⾝		body	み
7			body	みへん	a variant of ⾝（み）
7	⾞		vehicle, wheel, car	くるま
7			vehicle, wheel, car	くるまへん	a variant of ⾞（くるま）	Important
7	⾟		bitter	からい
7	⾠		Fifth zodiac sign, 7–9 A.M.	しんのたつ
7	⾡		to advance, move ahead	しんにょう
7	⾢		community	むら
7	⾣		sake jar, bird	ひよみのとり
7			sake jar, bird	とりへん	a variant of ⾣（ひよみのとり）
7	⾤		to separate	のごめ
7			to separate	のごめへん	a variant of ⾤（のごめ）
7	⾥		village, (3.93 km)	さと
7			village, (3.93 km)	さとへん	a variant of ⾥（さと）
7	⾂		retainer, minister	しん	a variant of ⾂（しん）
7			contrary, to err	まいあし	a variant of ⾇（まいあし）
7	⻨		wheat	むぎ	a variant of ⿆（むぎ）
8	⾦		metal, gold, mineral	かね
8			metal, gold, mineral	かねへん	a variant of ⾦（かね）	Important
8	⻑		long	ながい
8	⾨		gate, door	もんがまえ		Important
8	⾩		hill	こざと
8	⾪		to capture	れいづくり
8	⾫		small bird	ふるとり
8	⾬		rain	あめ
8	⻗		rain	あめかんむり	a variant of ⾬（あめ）	Important
8	⾭		blue, green	あお
8	⻘		blue, green	あお	a variant of ⾭（あお）
8	⾮		wrong, non-	あらず
8	⻟		food, to eat	しょくへん	a variant of ⾷（しょく）
8	⻫		alike	せい	a variant of ⿑（せい）
9	⾯		face, surface	めん
9	⾰		leather	つくりがわ
9			leather	なめしがわ
9	⾲		leek	にら
9	⾳		sound, noise	おと
9	⾴		head, page	おおがい		Important
9	⾵		wind	かぜ
9	⾶		to fly	とぶ
9	⾷		food, to eat	しょく
9	⾸		head	くび
9	⾹		scent	かおり
10	⾺		horse	うま
10			horse	うまへん	a variant of ⾺（うま）
10	⾻		bone	ほね
10			bone	ほねへん	a variant of ⾻（ほね）
10	⾼		high	たかい
10	⾽		long hair	かみかんむり
10	⾾		fighting	たたかいがまえ
10	⾿		herbs	においざけ
10	⿀		tripod	れき
10	⿁		demon	おに
10	⾱		leather	なめしがわ	a variant of （なめしがわ）
11	⿂		fish	うお
11			fish	うおへん	a variant of ⿂（うお）	Important
11	⿃		bird	とり
11	⿄		salt	しお
11	⿅		deer	しか
11	⿆		wheat	むぎ
11	⿇		hemp	あさ
11			hemp	あさかんむり	a variant of ⿇（あさ）
11	⻩		yellow	き	a variant of ⿈（き）
11	黒		black	くろ	a variant of ⿊（くろ）
11	⻲		turtle	かめ	a variant of ⿔（かめ）
12	⿈		yellow	き
12	⿉		millet	きび
12	⿊		black	くろ
12	⿋		embroider	ぬいとり
12	⻭		tooth	は	a variant of ⿒（は）
13	⿌		frog	かえる
13	⿍		tripod	かなえ
13	⿎		drum	つづみ
13	⿏		rat, mouse	ねずみ
14	⿐		nose	はな
14	⿑		alike	せい
15	⿒		tooth	は
16	⿓		dragon	りゅう
16	⿔		turtle	かめ
17	⿕		flute	やく

References:

The English meanings of each radical in Kanji alive are based on Kanji & Kana by Wolfgang Hadamitzky & Mark Spahn, (1981), Tuttle Publishing with additional reference to Basic Kanji by Matsuo Soga & Michio Yusa (1989), Taishūkan, and Andrew N. Nelson, The Original Modern Reader's Japanese-English Character Dictionary: Classic Edition, 2nd. ed. (1974), Tuttle Publishing. The Japanese names for the radicals are based on『講談社カラー版日本語大辞典』（第一版）1989, 講談社.

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Source: https://kanjialive.com/214-traditional-kanji-radicals/

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