RADICAL NOTES

Find out how the radical conveys no meaning whatsoever in the Joyo kanji in which it plays the most important role—namely, 中 (55: middle) and 串 (1993: skewer)—and enjoy signs that treat these shapes playfully.

Learn to locate the 丿 radical in 乗 (320: to ride) and 乏 (1805: shortage), and see how the etymology of 及 (1148: to reach) sounds like an ancient game of Twister.

Find out what 事 (293: thing), 予 (403: beforehand), and 了 (1905: completion) have in common that landed them in the same radical category. Hint: nothing! And see how radical 6 relates to radical 2. 

In addition to 京 (99: capital; Tokyo; Kyoto) and 交 (115: association; exchange; cross; to blend; deliver; by turns), three Joyo kanji have been filed under this category. Find out what they are, what the various Japanese radical names mean, and which radicals seem to contain the 亠 shape.

Find out about the names and meanings of the radical in kanji such as 先 (49: ahead), 元 (106: origin), and 光 (116: light), and see how 儿 has nothing to do with legs etymologically. 

See why 公 (277: public) and 兼 (850: concurrent) stand out from all kanji with an on-duty 八 radical—and how one of those two characters turns the radical on its head.

Find out about the 冖 radical in kanji such as 写 (297: photograph) and 冠 (1097: crown), and see how this ultra-simple contemporary shape used to look.

Find out about the radical in 処 (896: to deal with) and 凡 (1827: mediocre), and see how a table could have a connection to the wind.

Find the swords tucked inside ultra-common kanji such as 前 (159: before) and 別 (579: separate; another).

Find out about the radical in such disparate kanji as 包 (583: to wrap), 勾 (1953: hook), and 匂 (2089: scent), and see what the 勹 surrounds.

Find out about a radical that looks like several others. What's more, this radical always appears in sets of look-alike kanji, such as 医 (225: medicine) and 矢 (981: arrow), establishing an unusual pattern.

Learn to spot the "cross" radical in certain characters, such as 午 (110: afternoon) and 半 (195: half). Also learn when not to see crosses, even though it's tempting to do so.

See what 卵 (990: egg) depicts, discover which character represents a person kneeling to expel demons, and learn how 印 (425: to imprint) connects to the radical name.

Find out about a radical with no fixed meaning, a shape that has helped people represent whatever they needed to depict in the moment.

See when the "mouth" radical actually means "mouth" in a kanji, as in 名 (71: name) and 品 (382: item), and find out when this square represents something as unexpected as a circle! Also learn not to confuse this radical with many others containing squares.

Dig a little to find the difference between this radical and one look-alike radical. Examine the meaning of 圭, which gives you double the dirt. And find out when you shouldn't identify 土 as the radical because that shape is actually part of a larger radical.

See all the ways in which the radical in 変 (581: change) and 夏 (82: summer) subverts expectations!

Find out what 外 (91: outside), 多 (163: many), and 夜 (212: night) have in common and how they connect to the 夕 radical inside them.

Does the 女 radical contribute an inherently negative meaning to characters? Find out by looking at kanji such as 好 (859: to like; good) and 婚 (1278: marriage; wedding) on the one hand and examples such as 嫌 (1218: to dislike; aversion) on the other.

See when this radical crowns kanji, such as 寒 (245: cold) and 定 (351: to decide), and find out when it instead pops up in the middle of a character. Learn which other radicals resemble this one. And find out what 宀 represents in six kanji.

Find out how 小 (36: small) relates to 少 (143: small quantity), and see how 小 can be the radical in 当 (183: to hit the mark).

The "corpse" radical 尸 has a wide array of meanings, including "corpse" (of course!), "slumped figure," "buttocks," "relaxing" (maybe), and even possibly "roof." That corpse really gets around!

If you've ever wondered how to move mountains, just look to the "mountain" radical 山 to see how it's done! This radical shifts to the left in 峰 (1799: peak, mountaintop; ridge), the top in 岸 (248: beach), and the bottom in 岳 (1082: mountain), changing its Japanese name as it goes. 

This simple-looking radical pops up in such common kanji as 左 (22: left) and 差 (482: difference), as well as 工 (113: manufacturing) itself, but the 工 radical isn’t nearly as straightforward as it appears. Find out what complications it causes.

Essay 1989 on 巾 (cloth; "cloth" radical) tells you all about this radical, which inserts itself into scads of kanji, including some of the first you ever learned: 市 (130: city; market) and 席 (520: seat). 

Find out how 幺 doesn't mean "short thread" in any of the Joyo kanji in which it is the on-duty radical, including 幾 (1129: how many) and 幻 (1226: phantom). Also see how this radical does confer that meaning on two kanji in which the look-alike 玄 is the radical!

See how the radical on duty in such kanji as 建 (473: to build) and 延 (814: to extend) was never meant to be there at all! 

Find out why 弋 is called the “ceremony” radical even though the shape symbolizes a hunting tool or piece of wood! And learn how to use this radical to represent three numbers!

So you think you know the differences between a katakana, a pig's head, and a hand? They look more similar than you may realize! Find out about a shape common to kanji such as 書 (142: writing), 事 (293: thing), and 健 (474: health), and see what it really means.

See how the "going person" radical 彳actually brings things to a halt! Learn what sets it apart from two similar radicals. And discover what 彳 is doing in common kanji such as 後 (111: after), 待 (337: to wait), 役 (397: role), and 彼 (1725: he).

Learn to recognize three styles of halberds, each representing our radical at various stages of evolution! And see why there’s a weapon at the heart of 我 (817: I), 戯 (1138: play), and 戚 (2043: relatives), as well as in more likely characters, such as 戦 (526: war).

Hands are involved in all aspects of life. So it is with many kanji. Find out how 挙 (458: to nominate) and 推 (908: conjecture, infer, conclude) have unexpected connections to hands, as does the word 抹茶 (まっちゃ: powdered green tea).

See why the “strike” radical is in 教 (101: teaching; religion)—yes, it will confirm your worst fears—and find out why you recognize the variant form of this radical but perhaps not the main rendering.

Essay 1633 on 斗 (dipper; "dots and cross" radical) covers this radical, without which we couldn't write great-looking words such as 科料 (かりょう: minor fine).

See how the radical in kanji such as 族 (333: family) and 旅 (410: travel) defies all expectations in terms of both meaning and shape.

The 日 radical is on duty in scads of kanji. Find out when it means "sun," when it conveys the passage of time, and when it might represent "ladle" or "insect's head"!

You'll be over the moon once you understand the differences between two radicals ("moon" and "flesh") that tend to look exactly alike. This Radical Note features two gorgeous shibori works by Glennis Dolce, so be sure not to miss them!

See how yawning connects etymologically to kanji such as 次 (292: next) and 欠 (471: lack), and find out how 欧 (1034: Europe) might convey something quite insulting.

Find out what needed to happen to a corpse before the ancient Chinese declared someone dead! Also see what role the 歹 radical plays in kanji such as 死 (286: death), 残 (493: to remain), and 殖 (1426: to multiply).

Learn to make sense of the names of the radical in 母 (203: mother), 毎 (206: every), and 毒 (559: poison), and see how their etymologies involve everything from women’s private parts to harmful plants.

Learn about the radical in 毛 (210: hair), and discover where it exists in triplicate!

See how the "steam" radical, which serves as the on-duty radical only in 気 (11: spirit), gives 汽 (94: steam) a shocking appearance.  

Is a person (者) on fire in 煮 (1338: to boil)?! Why would 点 (179: point) be ablaze? And what about the poor bear represented by 熊 (1995)? If you’re burning with questions about the “fire” radical, check out this Radical Note! 

Discover how simple fatherhood can be when it comes to 父 (197: father), and see how 父 looks with its tips curled like a Hercule Poirot mustache.

Discover the kanji, such as 状 (717: shape) and 寝 (1441: sleep), in which 爿 serves as a mere component, and learn to distinguish it from radical 91.

See essay 1972 on 牙 (tusk, fang; "tusk" radical) to find out why there are tusks inside both 邪 (1340: injustice) and 芽 (434: buds). 

Learn why some people see a dog inside the kanji for monkey (猿) and cat (猫).  

Find out about the radical that lends roundness to kanji such as 環 (1115: ring, circle; to surround) and 珠 (1349: pearl; gem; bead) but also pops up in 理 (220: reason; basic principle) and 現 (666: actual; to appear). Also learn why this radical looks like it would mean "king" in all these characters but generally means "jewel." 

Essay 1973 on 瓦 (roof tile; "tile" radical) tells you all about the radical in 瓶 (1747: bottle; small vessel) and in an array of charmingly logical kokuji.

Learn the facts of life by examining the radical in 生 (42: life) and 産 (491: to give birth).

As important as rice is to the Japanese, rice isn't always part of the picture, despite the presence of the "rice field" radical. See why 田 pops up in kanji such as 画 (85: picture), 番 (196: number), and 界 (240: world). 

There should be a skull and crossbones here, alerting you to the infectiousness of this Radical Note! After all, this radical appears in sickness-related kanji such as 病 (381: illness) and 症 (1397: symptom). But not all characters with this radical are germ-infested. Take for instance 痛 (943: pain; thoroughly) and 疲 (1728: tired).

See how this radical is on duty in just five Joyo kanji, including 百 (67: hundred) and 的 (551: mark, target; adjectival ending), and means "white" in exactly none of them!

Essay 1307 on 皿 (dish, plate; a helping; "dish" radical) covers this radical, showing how it plays a part in 18 Joyo kanji, such as 盗 (1649: to steal) and 盆 (1828: tray, dish; Bon Festival). 

Essay 1843 on 矛 (long-handled Chinese spear; "spear" radical) covers this radical, exploring why there's a spear in 柔 (1363: gentleness) and in 霧 (1845: fog; mist). In both cases, 矛 is a component.

Find out about the stoniness inherent in such kanji as 砂 (869: sand) and 硬 (1260: hard), as well as more unexpected characters, such as 確 (634: certain; definite) and 磁 (881: magnetism).

Find out about the rice in some of the first kanji you learned—namely, 私 (876: private, personal; I, me) and 科 (81: subject of study; department, course)—and in some characters with financial meanings. Learn to distinguish the "grain" radical 禾 from others with similar appearances and names. 

Learn to distinguish the on-duty radical in kanji such as 章 (318: written passage) and 競 (463: competition) from similar-looking radicals.

There's rice in the restroom! Rice in cosmetics! Rice in the hair salon! That's all thanks to 粧 (1406: makeup; to adorn oneself). Find out about that kanji and others containing the "rice" radical, such as 粉 (577: powder; flour) and 糖 (947: sugar).

See essay 1095 on 缶 (tin (can); "jar" radical) to find out about a shape that serves as a component in both 陶 (1650: pottery) and 鬱 (1963: depression). You can see the 缶 in 鬱, can't you?!

Feeling sheepish that you know little about the "sheep" radical? That's about to change. Find out about characters with sheep on the left, on the right, and on top, and see what role sheep play in these kanji. Also learn to use 群 (657: flock) when discussing flocks of sheep ... and sparrows and monkeys?!

Learn how 考 (117: to think), 者 (298: person), and 老 (609: old) don’t depict what you would imagine.

See how the radical on duty in 耕 (673: cultivating land) and 耗 (1853: depletion) is indestructible.

See why it seems as if this radical is on duty in the wrong Joyo kanji! 

Find out how, although 臣 (512: servant) resembles a segment of a brick wall, that kanji and the identical radical represent something round!

Find out why 至 would repeatedly appear on a map, and see what this shape once represented.

Learn the name of the radical in 舌 (732: tongue), find out where it’s a mere component, and read about the etymology of this shape.

Essay 1354 on 舟 (small boat; "boat" radical) presents the eight Joyo kanji with this on-duty radical, including 航 (479: to navigate) and 般 (1714: general). 

See how the radical on duty in 色 (145: color) and 艶 (1966: glossy) represents something off-color!

"Tiger" radical burning bright ... It burns in such kanji as 虞 (1040: fear) and 虜 (1903: barbarian), seeming to lend them extremely negative meanings.

Find out about the radical in 血 (270: blood) and 衆 (705: the public), and see how the 血 radical relates to the “dish” radical 皿.

Just as clothing often tears, the "clothing" radical is rent in half in kanji such as 衷 (1585: innermost heart) but stays intact in characters such as 裂 (1930: split) and 複 (783: compound).

Find out how 見 etymologically means “to see” not only in kanji such as 覚 (439: to perceive) and 観 (445: view) but even in 規 (643: regulation) and 親 (149: parent).

Learn about the radical that turns 売 (192: to sell) into 読 (189: to read) and that transforms 十 (33: ten) into 計 (105: plan).

Essay 1640 on 豆 (bean; "bean" radical) covers this radical, which can fill our heads (頭: 186) with abundant (豊: 790) happiness (喜: 450). Incidentally, when it comes to Joyo kanji, 豆 is the on-duty radical only in 豊, as well as in 豆 itself.

See why there's a badger inside 貌 (2110: appearance), the only Joyo kanji featuring this on-duty radical. Also find out which two Joyo kanji include 豸 as a component.

Discover the surprising figurative sense of a term for "bright red." Also find out what's really going on inside 赤 (46: red) and 赦 (1336: to pardon) etymologically.

The "foot" radical 足 can mean "foot," not surprisingly, but it can also symbolize "footprint," as in 跡 (1485: trace; ruins). In fact, the 足 radical pops up twice in a term related to digital footprints! In another word, the "foot" radical ends up near the ceiling!

Find out what to call the radical in 軍 (466: armed forces) versus 載 (1295: to load (with cargo)). And see why there's a vehicle in 軟 (1673: soft) and 轄 (1090: control)!

Find out why there’s a dragon (or is it a clam?) in 農 (366: farming) and 辱 (1430: to humiliate).

Although 阝looks identical on the left or right side of a character, the meaning varies with the position. Here we look at it on the right side of a kanji, where it often means "village," as in 郷 (841: hometown) and 郊 (1254: outskirts). We also examine how 邑 turned into 阝 in both 部 (384: section) and 邸 (1613: stately residence).

See why this radical is called "topped rice," and find out why 釈 (885: explanation) and 采 (2015: dice) aren't the best representations of this radical, even though they're the only two Joyo kanji featuring this radical on duty.

Find out about the radical that gives us everything from silver (263: 銀) and steel (864: 鋼) to tools such as needles (905: 針), mirrors (462: 鏡), and pots for cooking (2088: 鍋). And let's not forget about something none of us could live without—money (734: 銭)!

Find out about the radical inside kanji as common as 間 (92: interval), 開 (241: to open), and 閉 (968: to close), and examine the ancient Asian gate designs that seem to bear little connection to the 門 shape.

See why 隶 is called the “slave” radical, learn the etymology of 隷 (1924: subordinate), and find out about clerical script.

It's not surprising to find rain in kanji such as 雲 (78: cloud) and 雷 (1888: thunder; lightning), but find out why there's precipitation in 零 (1922: zero; to spill; small) and 霊 (1923: spirit, soul).

Discover the surprising etymology of 非, which is on duty in 非 (773: not), and the counterintuitive Japanese name of this radical.

Find out about leathery kanji such as 靴 (1052: shoes), and see how this radical differs from others with similar English names. 

Find out what the radical contributes to kanji such as 韻 (1015: rhyme) and 響 (1171: echo), and learn how to see the bigger picture when it comes to this radical.

See how ancient people perceived fierce winds as being connected to malevolent animals, and find out how the radical in 風 (198: wind) relates to the “table” radical 几.

Find out about the "food" radical populating kanji such as 飲 (230: to drink), 館 (247: building), and 飼 (1322: to have an animal), and see why any of those things have a connection to food. 

Essay 1255 on 香 (fragrance; "perfume" radical) covers this shape, which doesn't appear in any Joyo characters aside from 香 itself but smells really nice!

See why the name of the radical in 骨 (867: bone), 髄 (1463: marrow), and 骸 (1979: corpse) seems perfect, and find out how to eat soft bones.

If you associate "long hair" and "radical" only with Vietnam War protests, find out what these words mean in a kanji context and in 髪 (1706: hair on the head).

See essay 1128 on 鬼 (devil; "devil" radical) to find out how to bewitch (魅: 1839) someone's soul (魂: 1280) with the help of one feisty radical.

The feathers fly in this Radical Note, which covers kanji such as 鳴 (209: to cry (animals)), 鶏 (1206: chicken), and 鶴 (2072: crane), including their etymologies. Learn the difference between 鳥 and another bird radical with which it often combines.

Find out about the radical in 麦 (194: wheat; barley; oats; rye) and 麺 (2118: noodles), and see why some Japanese feel that 麺 is insufficiently complicated.

Learn about the parent and variant of this radical, which is on duty in 黄 (120: yellow) and a mere component in 横 (235: side). Also see which famous film contains 黄 in its title.

Radical 207 appears in only one Joyo kanji, which is 鼓 itself! See essay 1234 on 鼓 (drum; to beat; encourage, muster; "drum" radical) to find out all about this radical and autonomous kanji.

See essay 1473 on 斉 (equal; "alike" radical) to learn about this radical that Nelson has nicknamed Mr. Saito in kanji such as 斎 (1291: purification, abstinence).

See essay 1899 on 竜 (dragon; "big dragon" radical) to find out why a dragon would be lurking (but only as a component) inside a waterfall (滝: 1550).