Meaning clues
Start with visible categories such as people, water, hands, speech, and plants.
Learn what recurring shapes can tell you about meaning and sound, then follow each pattern into characters, vocabulary, and writing practice.
Choose the clue that helps with the character in front of you.
Search by shape, pinyin, or meaning. Every result opens a dedicated learning page.
1,286 component families
mouth; opening
487 characterswater
471 charactersgrass; plants
435 characterswood; tree
400 charactershand; action
344 charactersperson
284 charactersmetal; gold
223 charactersearth; ground
215 charactersinsect; creature
207 charactersmeat, flesh; organic compound
182 charactersheart; feeling
166 characterswoman; female
162 characterswords, speech; to speak, to say
162 charactersmound or place
161 characterssun; day
155 charactersone; first
151 charactersspeech; language
147 charactersbamboo; flute
146 characterssilk; thread
144 charactersgold, metal; money
135 charactersfire; heat
134 charactersmovement; walking
132 charactersmountain
131 charactersillness
126 characterssilk; thread
126 charactersfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
124 charactersstone, rock, mineral
123 charactersking, ruler; royal; surname
123 characterseye; to look, to see; division, topic
103 charactersheart; mind
102 charactersanimal; dog
88 characterscover
87 charactersroof; home
84 charactersknife; cutting
83 characterscereal, grain, rice; plant, stalk
82 charactersfish
80 charactersshell; money
79 charactersbird
78 charactersbird
78 charactersbroad, vast, wide; building, house
74 charactersclothing
72 characterssea shell; money, currency
71 charactersand, also, again, in addition
71 charactersrice, millet, grain
70 characterswine; wine vessel; chemical
66 charactershorse
65 charactersfish
64 charactersbig; great
63 charactersfield, farm, arable land; cultivated
63 charactersshort-tailed bird; sparrow
63 charactersstrength, power; capability, influence
61 charactersto rap, to tap; script; to let go
59 charactersten, tenth; complete; perfect
59 characterscart, vehicle; to move in a cart
58 characterscloth, curtain, handkerchief, towel
58 charactershorse; surname
55 characterscart, vehicle; to move in a cart
53 charactersperson; people
53 charactersdoor; enclosure
52 charactersslash
52 characterspage, sheet, leaf
50 characterscave, den, hole
49 characterscliff; factory, workshop; building
48 charactersgate, door, entrance, opening
47 charactersdish, vessel; shallow container
47 characterseight; all around, all sides
46 charactersear; to hear, to hear of; handle
46 charactersbody, corpse
46 characterslid, cover; head
46 characterssheep, goat
46 characterspage, sheet, leaf
46 charactersto step with the left foot
45 charactersenclosure; border
45 charactersfood; to eat
44 charactersritual; spirit
44 charactersnet, network
43 charactersinch; small, tiny
42 charactersfood; eating
42 charactersrain
42 characterssquare; direction
41 characterslabor, work; laborer, worker
41 charactersto lack, to owe; to breathe, to yawn
41 charactersnumber one; line
40 characterssmall table; how many; a few, some
40 charactersspear, lance, halberd
39 charactersprivate, secret
39 characterscloth; clothes, apparel; dress, coat
39 characterswhite; clear, pure, unblemished; bright
38 charactersfire; heat
38 charactersox, cow, bull
38 characterskwukyel
37 charactersbow; curved, arched
36 characterswide
36 charactersfeather, plume; wings
35 charactersboat, ship
35 charactersdot
34 characterschild; seed
34 characterssnout
33 charactersmoon; month; body
33 charactersice
32 characterstool, weapon
32 characterscorpse; death; evil, depraved, wicked
31 charactersdog
31 characterssecret, hidden, mysterious; small, minute; to conceal
31 charactersindividual; each, every; all
30 charactersa catty (about 500 grams); an axe; keen, shrewd
30 charactersto stand; to establish, to set up
30 characterstwo; twice
29 charactersnot, negative, non-; to oppose
29 charactersarid, dry; to oppose; to offend; to invade
29 charactersleather, animal hide; to reform; to remove
29 charactersmoreover, also (post-subject); about to, will soon (pre-verb)
29 charactersto compare, liken; comparison; than
28 charactersold, classic, ancient
28 charactersdoor; family
28 characterscommand, decree, order; magistrate; to allow, to cause
28 characterssilk; thread
28 charactershair; sunlight
28 charactersto divine; to observe; to versify
28 charactersto go
28 charactersComponents are visual building blocks used for learning meaning and sound patterns.
Radicals are dictionary indexing parts. When a shape serves both roles, its component and radical pages link to each other.