Spot 一
Find the repeated shape and notice where it sits before trying to memorize the whole character.
Visual pattern
一 component
yī · one; first
A recurring visual building block found inside multiple Chinese characters. Compare what stays the same and what changes across the family.
A repeatable reading move
How to use 一
Use the component as a clue, then verify the complete character.
Compare the visual pattern
Use the stable shape to recognize the family, without assuming it always supplies meaning or sound.
Check what changes
Read the remaining component, then confirm the full pinyin, meaning, and stroke order on the character page.
Shared clue一Visual pattern
Read the pattern before memorizing the list
Use the shared shape as a recognition anchor, then confirm the full character's pronunciation and meaning.
The component page is a learning family; the radical page is a dictionary index. A shape can serve both roles.
Compare the family
What stays the same, what changes?
Each card keeps 一 visible while showing the other building blocks and the completed character.
不=
上=
⺊
大=
+人
下=
+卜
两=
+冂+从
天=
+大
再=
+冉
事=
+口+彐+亅
更=
+曰+乂
前=
丷+刖
与=
开=
+廾
More characters to try
Open any character for animation, writing feedback, examples, and a printable worksheet.
本běn三sān长zhǎng正zhèng或huò无wú日rì干gàn求qiú其qí万wàn生shēng马mǎ子zi口kǒu二èr未wèi十shí至zhì应yīng王wáng亲qīn画huà德dé鱼yú共gòng毛máo七qī直zhí丝sī且qiě贵guì土tǔ百bǎi立lì业yè丁dīng善shàn末mò夏xià灭miè兹zī咸xián册cè丙bǐng凹āo凸tū丛cóng曰yuē屯tún匚fāng丂kǎo丄shàng亠tóu亍chù工gōng丌jī亼jí彑jì纟sī囗wéi卫wèi兀wù丈zhàng歹dǎi夫fū巿fú丏miǎn廿niàn卅sà闩shuān尹yǐn帀zā专zhuān旦dàn戋jiān皿mǐn丕pī丘qiū卌xì乍zhà卮zhī丞chéng兴xìng戌xū亚yà朱zhū伫zhù豆dòu巠jīng丽lì佥qiān豕shǐ巵zhī苎zhù亟jí具jù兩liǎng罔wǎng武wǔ贮zhù畐fú韭jiǔ閂shuān畏wèi爰yuán蚩chī鬲gé晉jìn冡méng衰shuāi戛jiá隆lóng兽shòu寅yín貴guì畫huà黃huáng虛xū淵yuān彀gòu畺jiāng遣qiǎn睘qióng溦wēi鳳fèng睿ruì壽shòu㡭jì齒chǐ嘼chù穀gǔ徵zhēng轂gǔ觳hú斷duàn鼍tuó聽tīng鼉tuó
Move into vocabulary
Words you can read next
These words contain characters from the 一 family. Open one to see its complete breakdown.
白天báitiān
daytime
HSK 3.0 · L1包子bāozibaozi
HSK 3.0 · L1杯子bēizicup
HSK 3.0 · L1本běnChinese character
HSK 3.0 · L1不bùno
HSK 3.0 · L1不客气búkèqiyou're welcome
HSK 3.0 · L1不要búyàodon't!
HSK 3.0 · L1大dàbig
HSK 3.0 · L1大家dàjiāeveryone
HSK 3.0 · L1大学dàxuéthe Great Learning, one of the Four Books 四書|四书[Si4 shu1] in Confucianism
HSK 3.0 · L1大学生dàxuéshēnguniversity student
HSK 3.0 · L1对不起duìbuqǐI'm sorry
HSK 3.0 · L1