Character parts
Chinese radicals made memorable
Explore each illustrated breakdown, then open the linked beginner words or practise assembling characters in Radical Builder.
What is a radical?
Pinyin — The official system for writing Mandarin sounds with the Latin alphabet.
Pinyin shows you how a Chinese word sounds before you can read characters. For example, 你好 (hello) is written nǐ hǎo in pinyin. HanziQuest always shows pinyin with tone marks after you answer, so you can check the exact pronunciation.
Hanzi — The Chinese characters used for writing — each one is a word or word-part.
Hanzi (汉字) are the written symbols of Mandarin, like 你 (you) or 好 (good). Unlike an alphabet, each character carries its own meaning and sound. HanziQuest teaches them through matching games and daily lessons.
Radical — A building-block component inside Chinese characters, like 女 in 好.
Most characters are built from smaller parts called radicals. 好 (good) combines 女 (woman) and 子 (child). Learn a few dozen radicals and thousands of characters start to make sense — which is why Radical Builder practices them as a game.
好
hǎo
good
HSK 1
明
míng
bright
HSK 1
妈
mā
mother
HSK 1
休
xiū
rest
HSK 2
林
lín
forest
HSK 2
看
kàn
see; look
HSK 1
大
dà
big
HSK 1
天
tiān
sky; day
HSK 1
男
nán
male
HSK 1
从
cóng
from; follow
HSK 1
问
wèn
ask
HSK 1
国
guó
country
HSK 1
家
jiā
home; family
HSK 1
字
zì
character; word
HSK 2
早
zǎo
morning
HSK 1
星
xīng
star
HSK 1
花
huā
flower
HSK 1
鸣
míng
chirp; sound
HSK 2
安
ān
peace; calm
HSK 2
尖
jiān
pointy; sharp
HSK 2
你
nǐ
you
HSK 1
他
tā
he
HSK 1
她
tā
she
HSK 1
们
men
plural marker
HSK 1
什
shén
what
HSK 1
会
huì
can; meeting
HSK 1
说
shuō
speak
HSK 1
话
huà
speech; words
HSK 1
读
dú
read
HSK 2
课
kè
lesson
HSK 2
语
yǔ
language
HSK 2
谢
xiè
thank
HSK 2
走
zǒu
walk
HSK 1
跑
pǎo
run
HSK 2
唱
chàng
sing
HSK 2
喝
hē
drink
HSK 1
吃
chī
eat
HSK 1
饭
fàn
meal
HSK 1
菜
cài
vegetable
HSK 1
茶
chá
tea
HSK 1
校
xiào
school
HSK 2
学
xué
study
HSK 1
生
shēng
life; birth
HSK 1
朋
péng
friend
HSK 1
友
yǒu
friend
HSK 1
名
míng
name
HSK 1
写
xiě
write
HSK 1
桌
zhuō
table
HSK 2
椅
yǐ
chair
HSK 2
床
chuáng
bed
HSK 2
门
mén
door
HSK 1
间
jiān
room
HSK 2
电
diàn
electricity
HSK 2
机
jī
machine
HSK 2
车
chē
vehicle
HSK 1
路
lù
road
HSK 2
站
zhàn
station
HSK 2
河
hé
river
HSK 2
海
hǎi
sea
HSK 2
树
shù
tree
HSK 2
草
cǎo
grass
HSK 2
鸟
niǎo
bird
HSK 2
鱼
yú
fish
HSK 2
猫
māo
cat
HSK 2
狗
gǒu
dog
HSK 2
马
mǎ
horse
HSK 1
牛
niú
cow
HSK 1
羊
yáng
sheep
HSK 1
龙
lóng
dragon
HSK 1
雨
yǔ
rain
HSK 1
日
rì
sun; day
HSK 1
月
yuè
moon; month
HSK 1
人
rén
person
HSK 1
口
kǒu
mouth
HSK 1
水
shuǐ
water
HSK 1
火
huǒ
fire
HSK 1
木
mù
tree; wood
HSK 1
金
jīn
gold; metal
HSK 2
土
tǔ
earth; soil
HSK 1
心
xīn
heart; mind
HSK 1
手
shǒu
hand
HSK 1
足
zú
foot
HSK 1
目
mù
eye
HSK 1
耳
ěr
ear
HSK 2
山
shān
mountain
HSK 1
石
shí
stone
HSK 2
田
tián
field
HSK 1
禾
hé
grain
HSK 2
米
mǐ
rice
HSK 2
竹
zhú
bamboo
HSK 2
衣
yī
clothes
HSK 1
言
yán
speech
HSK 2
风
fēng
wind
HSK 1
云
yún
cloud
HSK 1
力
lì
strength; power
HSK 1
刀
dāo
knife
HSK 2
弓
gōng
bow
HSK 2
气
qì
air; energy
HSK 2
毛
máo
hair; fur
HSK 2
皮
pí
skin; leather
HSK 2