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.
1,394 component families
water
467 charactersmouth; opening
448 charactersgrass; plants
406 characterswood; tree
383 charactershand; action
339 charactersperson
281 charactersmetal; gold
223 charactersmoon; month; body
209 charactersearth; ground
206 charactersinsect; creature
195 charactersheart; feeling
166 charactersmound or place
161 characterswoman; female
161 characterswords, speech; to speak, to say
161 charactersgold, metal; money
155 charactersspeech; language
147 charactersbamboo; flute
144 characterssilk; thread
143 characterssun; day
139 charactersone; first
139 charactersmovement; walking
132 charactersfire; heat
132 charactersillness
126 charactersmountain
124 charactersstone, rock, mineral
123 characterssilk; thread
123 charactersking, ruler; royal; surname
118 characterseye; to look, to see; division, topic
97 charactersheart; mind
95 charactersanimal; dog
87 charactersfish
79 characterscereal, grain, rice; plant, stalk
78 charactersknife; cutting
76 charactersshell; money
74 charactersbird
74 charactersbird
74 charactersbroad, vast, wide; building, house
72 charactersslash
72 charactersclothing
72 characterssea shell; money, currency
66 charactersrice, millet, grain
66 characterswine; wine vessel; chemical
66 charactershorse
65 charactersroof; home
65 charactersfish
64 characterscover
62 charactersshort-tailed bird; sparrow
60 characterscart, vehicle; to move in a cart
58 charactersto step with the left foot
58 charactersstrength, power; capability, influence
58 characterscloth, curtain, handkerchief, towel
55 charactersfield, farm, arable land; cultivated
55 charactershorse; surname
53 charactersbig; great
52 charactersnumber one; line
52 characterslid, cover; head
51 characterscart, vehicle; to move in a cart
50 charactersdoor; enclosure
50 charactersto rap, to tap; script; to let go
50 characterscave, den, hole
49 charactersten, tenth; complete; perfect
48 characterspage, sheet, leaf
48 charactersand, also, again, in addition
48 charactersgate, door, entrance, opening
47 characterspage, sheet, leaf
47 charactersperson; people
46 charactersear; to hear, to hear of; handle
44 charactersfood; to eat
44 charactersritual; spirit
44 characterseight; all around, all sides
43 charactersbody, corpse
43 charactersfood; eating
42 charactersenclosure; border
41 charactersrain
41 charactersdot
41 characterswhite; clear, pure, unblemished; bright
39 charactersto lack, to owe; to breathe, to yawn
39 characterssquare; direction
38 charactersinch; small, tiny
36 charactersox, cow, bull
36 charactersnet, network
36 charactersfire; heat
35 charactersdish, vessel; shallow container
35 charactersboat, ship
35 charactersice
34 characterskwukyel
33 characterscliff; factory, workshop; building
33 charactersbow; curved, arched
33 characterssmall table; how many; a few, some
33 charactersmoreover, also (post-subject); about to, will soon (pre-verb)
33 characterssheep, goat
32 characterschild; seed
32 characterslabor, work; laborer, worker
31 characterstool, weapon
31 characterscorpse; death; evil, depraved, wicked
30 charactersindividual; each, every; all
30 charactersold, classic, ancient
29 charactersa catty (about 500 grams); an axe; keen, shrewd
29 charactersto stand; to establish, to set up
29 characterssilk; thread
29 charactersnot, negative, non-; to oppose
28 charactersspear, lance, halberd
28 charactersfeather, plume; wings
28 charactersto divine; to observe; to versify
28 charactersleather, animal hide; to reform; to remove
27 charactersto combine, to join, to unite; to gather
27 characterscommand, decree, order; magistrate; to allow, to cause
27 charactersdog
27 charactersto divide, to allocate; fraction; small unit of time or other quantity
26 charactersjade tablet
26 charactersair, gas; steam, vapor; anger
26 charactersblue-green; young
26 charactersprivate, secret
26 charactersfrom; cause
26 charactersthat which; they who; those who
26 charactersto go
26 charactersbox; basket
25 charactersghost; demon; sly, mischievous
25 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.