What Are Kanji Radicals?
If you've been following along in our Joyo Kanji Challenge, or even just learning kanji on your own, you have surely come across kanji radicals. What are radicals, exactly? Radicals in kanji, 部首 (bushu, ぶしゅ), are similar to roots of words in English. For instance, the root "bene" in English, means "good." So when you see the word benefactor, or benevolent, you know each of those words are related to the root word. Kanji radicals are similar to this, but they aren't always as straightforward as the Latin and Greek roots we are used to learning. More often than not, you will not be able to figure out the meaning of a kanji by knowing its radical. Bummer, I know! But a radical can help you to remember different kanji and to tell them apart. One of the most important functions of radicals is to categorize kanji and make them easier to look up. If you need to find a particular kanji but don't know the meaning or pronunciation, knowing its radical will save you LOTS of time. Most kanji dictionaries are listed by radical in order of stroke number. So kanji with a radical with one stroke would come first. Kanji radicals go all the way from one stroke up to 17 strokes! Most online dictionaries will also be organized this way, letting you pick which radicals you recognize from the kanji you want to find! You can try it out here at our free kanji dictionary.
Can you show me a radical already???
OKOK, let's look at an example with the radical 日: You may recognize this as the kanji for sun, or day—which is correct—but it is also a radical. While some radicals are also standalone kanji, other radicals (such as ⻌) can only be used as part of a kanji and don't mean anything on their own. So by itself, 日 means sun or day. Then we can look at the kanji 明 which means 'bright light.' The radical of 明 is 日. In this case, the kanji is related to the meaning of the radical, but that won't always happen. While 月 is part of the kanji, and is also a radical, there is only ONE true radical per kanji!
Now let's look at an example with the radical: 水
水 is both the kanji for water and the water radical. So by itself, 水 means water. Then we see the kanji 氷 is verrry similar, but has one extra stroke. This is the kanji for 'freeze.' So here is another case where the radical is related to the meaning of a kanji.
Now let's look at the kanji for 'to cry:' 泣
What is the radical here? 氵...Surprise! It is ALSO water! Some radicals have multiple forms depending on where they can be found in a kanji. Water itself has three forms: 水, 氵, and 氺. These are known as modified radicals or radical variants. When 水 is on the left, it becomes 氵. When it is on the bottom, it becomes 氺. Altogether, there are 46 radicals with variations. If we look closer at this kanji we can see it is the water radical 氵 + 立 which is the radical for 'stand up.' So the kanji for 'cry' means 'water stand up?' Like we said, adding together meanings of different radicals won't always help. But at least here there is a semantic connection. Consider the kanji 職 which means 'employment.' The radical for this kanji is 耳...or ear! I have no idea what ears have to do with getting a job, but it seems important! So now that we know what kanji are, let's answer a few questions you probably have.
How Many Kanji Radicals Are There?
In total, there are 214 historical kanji radicals used in Japanese kanji. While there are 214 radicals, some radicals are far more common than others, and some are no longer used at all! But 214 is the number most commonly used as radicals from the original KangXi dictionary. You will often see all the kanji radicals arranged in a chart by ascending stroke order such as this one: 
How Do I Know Which Part Is the Radical?
This is an excellent question, and a very hard one to answer. While the first letter of a word is easy to find (duh!) the radical of a kanji can be in many different places. While kanji are "built" from many different radicals and parts, again, each kanji has only ONE radical! It is important to remember this, because even though a kanji may have three parts you recognize, only one of those parts is its radical. A kanji can also have some extra "parts" that aren't radicals at all! Oh Japanese, you always keep us on our toes! In order to find a radical, of course you must know where to look! So let's review the different positions of radicals in a kanji: | へん (hen) | 
| Left-side radicals 
|
|---|:-:|---|
| つくり (tsukuri) | 
| Right-side radicals 
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| かんむり (kanmuri) | 
| Radicals on top
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| あし (ashi) | 
| Radicals on the bottom
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| かまえ (kamae) | 
| Enclosure radicals 
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| たれ (tare) | 
| Radicals that hang down 
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| にょう (nyou) | 
| Radicals that wrap around the bottom
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For a much more exhaustive guide on how to find the radical of a kanji, you can check out this guide from Tofugu.
Which Kanji Radicals Are Most Common?
This is a very important question to ask because, while there are 214 radicals, some are MUCH more common than others. In fact, of the 2,136 joyo kanji, 75% of them share the same 50 radicals, and 25% of joyo kanji share the same 6! As we said before, recognizing a radical doesn't mean you can guess a kanji's meaning, but it can certainly help give you some direction and will allow your brain to better categorize kanji when you see them. Let's take a look at the most common kanji radicals: |
6 Most Common Kanji Radicals: Top 25% of Jōyō Kanji |
|:-:| |
口 | くち | mouth |
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水 (氵, 氺) | みず | water |
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木 | き | tree |
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人 (亻) | ひと | person |
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手 (扌) | て | hand |
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心 (忄, ⺗) | こころ | heart |
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Radicals for Top 50% of Jōyō Kanji |
|---| |
言 | こと | word |
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日 | ひ / にち | sun / day |
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糸 | いと | silk |
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幺 | | thread radical |
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肉 | にく | meat / organ |
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月 | つき | moon |
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土 | つち | ground |
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⻌ | | go / road radical |
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艹 | | grass / plant radical |
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宀 | | roof / crown radical |
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貝 | かい | shell |
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女 | おんな | woman |
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阝 | | wall (left) / village (right) radical |
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金 | きん | gold / metal |
Knowing those 20 radicals means you can learn 50% of all the Joyo kanji--that's over 1,000 different kanji! But let's learn 30 more and we will have covered over 1,600 of the 2,136 kanji needed to be fluent in Japanese. |
Radicals for Top 75% of Joyo Kanji |
|---| |
一 | いち | one |
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刀 (刂 ) | かたな | sword |
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十 | じゅう | ten |
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田 | た | rice field |
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火 (灬) | ひ / か | fire |
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大 | おお | big |
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山 | やま | mountain |
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食 ( 飠) | しょく | eat / food |
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車 | くるま | vehicle |
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彳 | | walking person radical |
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目 | め | eye |
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雨 | あめ | rain |
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犬 ( 犭) | いぬ | dog |
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玉（王） | たま / おう | king / ball jewel |
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石 | いし | stone |
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力 | ちから | power |
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衣 ( 衤) | ころも | garment |
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弓 | ゆみ | bow |
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竹 (⺮) | たけ | bamboo |
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又 | また | again |
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攵 (夂) | | action radical |
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示 ( 礻) | しめす | show on an altar radical |
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酉 | とり | alcohol |
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囗 | くにがまえ | enclosure radical |
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禾 | | grain radical |
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广 | | building on a cliff radical |
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疒 | | sickness radical |
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巾 | きん / はば | cloth |
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尸 | し | corpse radical |
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寸 | すん | thumb / inch |
Of course, you want to learn ALL 2,136 of the Joyo kanji, and so you will learn the rest of your radicals as well! Here are the remaining 164 'rarer' radicals that make up just 25% of the Joyo kanji: | 虫 | むし | insect | 蚯 蚓 強 触 蟻 蟹 | |---|---|---|---| | 鳥 | とり | bird | 鳫 鳮 鳱 鳳 鳴 鳿 雞 鳴 鴻 鴛 | | 足 (⻊) | あし | foot | 跑 跨 跟 跪 路 | | 魚 | うお | fish | 鯉 鮑 魛 魜 魝 魞 魟 魠 | | 馬 | うま | horse | | | 馮 馴 馳 駐 驚 | | 頁 | おおがい | big shell | 頃 項 順 須 領 頭 頩 頂 | | 米 | こめ | rice | | | 料 断 奥 糊 麟 | | 革 | かくのかわ | leather, rawhide | 靴 鞍 鞅 鞍 鞭 | | 穴 | あな | cave | 空 突 窅 窘 窩 窶 竇 | | 走 (赱) | はしる | run | 赴 起 超 | | 門 | もん | gate | 間 閑 関 闘 閉 開 閏 間 | | 髟 | かみがしら | hair | 髮 鬚 鬆 鬍 髦 | | 欠 | あくび | yawn, lack | 欣 欽 欧 欲 歌 | | 牛 (牜, ⺧) | うし | cow | 告 牟 牧 物 特 解 | | 隹 | ふるとり | old bird | 雀 集 雁 难 雀 雅 | | 歹 (歺) | がつへん | death, decay | 死 列 殕 | | 羽 | はね | feather, wing | 習 翀 翁 翔 | | 毛 | け | fur, hair | 毟 毡 毦 毫 毳 耗 | | 舟 | ふね | boat | 航 船 艦 | | 骨 | ほね | bone | 骼 髒 髀 骿 骾 | | 風 (????) | かぜ | wind | 風 颱 飄 颿 颪 | | 瓦 | かわら | tile | 瓧 瓮 甄 | | 耳 | みみ | ear | 取 聞 職 叢 | | 黒 (黑) | くろ | black | 點 黛 黱 黨 | | 罒 (网,罓,⺲,⺳) | あみがしら | net | 買 罪 置 羅 | | 歯 (齒) | は | tooth, molar | 齡 齠 齗 | | 見 | みる | see | 規 親 覺 觀 | | 角 | つの | horn | 觚 解 觕 觥 觸 | | 羊 (⺶,⺷) | ひつじ | sheep | 着 羚 翔 着 | | 豕 | いのこ | pig | 豕 豚 象 | | 鬼 | おに | ghost, demon | 魂 魁 鬽 魄 | | 豸 | むじな | cat, badger | 豹 貌 貓 貉 | | 麦 (麥) | むぎ | wheat | 麴 麵 麱 麨 麺 | | 厂 | がんだれ | cliff | 厚原 | | 皿 | さら | dish | 盂 盉 盍 監 蘯 | | 戈 | かのほこ | spear, halberd | 成式弐戦 | | 冫 | にすい | ice, 2-stroke water | 冬冶冷凍 | | 虍 | とらかんむり | tiger stripes | 虎 虐 彪 虒 | | 白 | しろ | white | 皃 的 皆 皇 | | 鹿 | しか | deer | 塵 麃 麋 麉 麟 | | 立 | たつ | stand, erect | 立 音 産 翌 意 新 端 親 競 | | 韋 | なめしがわ | tanned leather | 韋 韓 韜 | | 止 | とめる | stop | 正 歩 此 步 武 歪 歲 | | 身 | み | body | 躬 躲 軀 | | 皮 | けがわ | skin | 披 彼 波 | | 殳 | ほこつくり | weapon, lance | 役 投 殴 殷 | | 方 | ほう | way, square, raft | 方 放 旅 族 | | 飛 | とぶ | fly | 飜 飝 | | 鼠 | ねずみ | rat, mouse | 鼢 鼣 鼤 | | 耒 | らいすき | plow | 耔 耝 耨 耰 | | 子 | こ ko?) | child, seed | 子孔字學 | | 片 | かた | (a) slice | 版 牌 牒 | | 缶 | かん | can, earthenware jar | 缶 缸 窑 陶 | | 鬲 | かなえ | tripod, cauldron | 鬶 鬷 鬸 | | 臼 | うす | mortar | 桕 舅 舂 鼠 插 | | 豆 | まめ | bean | 豈 豐 豎 | | 尢 (尤,尣) | まげあし | lame | 就 | | 面 (靣) | めん | face | 靦 靨 | | 矛 | むのほこ | spear, pike | 茅 矜 | | 勹 | つつみがまえ | embrace, wrap frame | 勾包 | | 匚 | はこがまえ | box frame | 匣 | | 矢 | や | arrow | 医 族 矩 | | 彡 | さんづくり | hair, bristle, stubble, beard | 形彦 | | 血 | ち | blood | 洫 衁 衅 衆 | | 斤 | おの | axe | 斦 斧 新 斥 斬 斷 | | 瓜 | うり | melon | 呱 瓞 | | 長 (镸) | ながい- | long, grow; leader | 長 | | 谷 | たに | valley | 谿 豀 谸 | | 行 | ぎょう | go, do | 行 衍 術 衝 | | 儿 | にんにょう | legs, human underneath | 兄元 | | 冂 | まきがまえ | inverted box, window frame | 内再 | | 廾 | にじゅうあし | two hands, twenty | 弁 | | 鼻 | はな | nose | 鼼 鼽 鼿 | | 爿 (丬) | しょうへん | split wood | 牀 奘 牃 | | 黍 | きび kibi?) | millet | 黏 黎 | | 鼓 | つづみ | drum | 鼗 鼘 | | 卜 (⼘,⺊) | ぼくのと | divination to | 占卦 | | 八 (ハ) | はちがしら | eight, eight-head | 公六共兵 | | 戸 (戶,户) | とびらのと | door, house | 戸戻所 | | 鹵 | ろ | salt | 鹹 鹼 鹽 | | 音 | おと oto?) | sound | 韶 韻 韾 | | 乙 (乚) | おつ | second, latter | 九也 | | 黄 (黃) | きいろ | yellow | 黊 黌 | | 小 (⺌, ⺍) | ちいさい | small, insignificant | 小少 | | 卩 (㔾) | ふしづくり | seal | 印危卵 | | 厶 | む | private | 去參 | | 黽 | べん | frog, amphibian | 黿 鼈 | | 亠 | なべぶた | pot lid | 亡交京 | | 几 | つくえ | desk | 凡 | | 屮 | てつ | sprout | 屯 | | 曰 | いわく | say | 書 最 晉 曷 曹 曾 | | 香 | においこう | fragrant | 馨 | | 爪 (爫,⺥,⺤) | つめ | claw, nail, talon | 爬 爯 爭 爰 爲 | | 辛 | からい | spicy, bitter | 辜 辟 辣 辦 辨 | | 夂 | ふゆがしら | winter | 夏 夆 | | 夕 | ゆうべ | evening, sunset | 夕外多夜 | | 自 | みずから | oneself | 自 臫 臬 臲 | | 高 (髙) | たかい | tall, high | 髚 髛 | | 麻 | あさ | hemp, flax | 麼 魔 | | 丿 | の , ノ) | bend, possessive particle no | 久之乎 | | 斗 | とます | dipper, measuring scoop | 料 斡 | | 舌 | した | tongue | 乱 适 話 舍 | | 赤 | あか | red, bare | 赫 赭 | | 冖 | わかんむり | cover, wa crown | 冗冠 | | 二 | に | two | 五井些亞 | | 西 (襾,覀) | にし | west | 西 要 覊 | | 入 (????) | いる | enter | 入全兩 | | 巛 (川,巜) | かわ | river | 川州巡 | | 支 | しにょう | branch | 攱攲 | | 文 | ぶん | script, literature | 文 斊 斈 斌 斐 斑 斕 | | 彐 (彑) | けいがしら | pig's head | 彖 | | 非 | あらず | wrong | 靠 靠 靟 | | 士 | さむらい | scholar, bachelor | 士壹 | | 至 | いたる | arrive | 致 臸 臺 | | 亀 (龜) | かめ | turtle, tortoise | 龝 | | 凵 | うけばこ | container, inbox | 凶出函 | | 鬥 | とうがまえ | fight | 鬧 鬪 | | 甘 | あまい | sweet | 柑 甜 酣 | | 生 | うまれる | life | 牲 笙 甥 | | 耂 (老,⺹) | ろう | old | 耆孝耋 | | 而 | しかして | rake, beard | 耎耐耑 | | 丨 | ぼう | line, stick | 中 | | 比 | くらべる | compare, compete | 皆 批 毕 毖 毘 毚 | | 色 | いろ | colour, prettiness | 色 艴 艷 | | 已 (己,巳) | おのれ | oneself | 己巳 | | 韭 | にら | leek | 韱 韲 | | 首 | くび | neck, head | 馗 馘 | | 亅 | はねぼう | hook, hooked stick | 了事 | | 匕 | さじのひ | spoon hi | 化北 | | 聿 (⺻) | ふでづくり | brush | 律 書 建 | | 龠 | やく | flute | 龣 | | 齊 | せい | even, uniformly | 齋 齏 齏 | | 亡 (匸) | かくしがまえ | dead, hiding frame | 亡 妄 忙 忘 盲 荒 望 慌 網 | | 工 | たくみ t | work | 工左巫差 | | 气 | きがまえ | steam, breath | 気 汽 氧 | | 青 (靑) | あお | green, blue | 靕 靖 靜 | | 毋 (母,⺟) | なかれ- | do not; mother | 毋 母 毎 姆 梅 | | 爻 | こう | mix, twine, cross | 爼 爽 爾 | | 臣 | しん | minister, official | 臥 宦 蔵 | | 弋 | しきがまえ | ceremony, shoot, arrow | 式弑 | | 疋 (⺪) | ひき | bolt of cloth | 疏 楚 胥 延 | | 癶 | はつがしら | footsteps | 発 登 | | 辰 | しんのたつ | morning | 辱 農 | | 釆 | のごめ | divide, distinguish, choose | 釉 釋 | | 里 | さと | village, mile | 野 野 | | 鼎 | かなえ | sacrificial tripod | 鼏 鼒 | | 竜 (龍) | りゅう | dragon | 龖 龘 | | 无 (旡) | むにょう | have not | 无 旡 既 旣 | | 禸 | ぐうのあし | track | 禹 禺 禽 | | 隶 | れいづくり | slave, capture | 隸 隺 | | 丶 | てん | dot | 丸主 | | 氏 | うじ | clan | 氏 民 紙 婚 氓 | | 父 | ちち | father | 斧 釜 | | 用 (甩) | もちいる | use; (throw) | 佣 甬 甯 | | 舛 | ます | opposite | 舛 舜 舞 | | 干 | ほし | dry | 平年 | | 廴 | いんにょう | long stride | 延 | | 牙 | きばへん | fang | 芽 呀 牚 | | 鬯 | ちょう | herbs, sacrificial wine | 鬰 鬱 | | 黹 | ふつ | embroidery, needlework | 黼 黻 | | 玄 | げん | dark, profound | 弦玆 | | 艮 | うしとら | stopping | 良 飲 很 | | 夊 | すいにょう | winter variant | |