APPENDIX 6 THE RADICALS 1. History and Background The traditional method of ordering entries in Chinese and Japanese character dictionaries is known as the radical system. This system is based on a table of 214 elements (plus about 150 variants) called radicals. A radical is a frequently recurring graphic component used for classifying characters into groups sharing a common element. The radicals are listed in increasing order of their stroke-counts. Characters sharing the same radical are further grouped in increasing order of the stroke-counts of their nonradical elements. The radical broadly suggests the area of meaning of the character, and is often related to the character's etymology. For example, žfc 'tree; wood' is found in many characters designating the names of trees or wooden objects, e.g., $g bai 'plum tree'. Often, however, the radical is merely an element used for classification purposes and is unrelated to the character's meaning, e.g., ý m the characters ti and :$. The radical system was first introduced some 1900 years ago in the well-known Chinese classic dictionary s%%M^- setsumon kaiji (Chinese: shuowen jiezi), in which the characters were classified under 540 categories. In 1716, a comprehensive character dictionary called SjfEE^ift köki jiten (Chinese: kangxi zidian) was published in China, reducing the number of radicals to 214. The latter has served as a model for all later character dictionaries, and the radical system it introduced is still in use as the most widespread scheme of lexicographic classification today. The original forms of the 214 traditional radicals are referred to here as the standard or parent form. A radical may also have one or more variant forms of considerably different shape and/or stroke-count. For example, '/ is a three-stroke variant of the four-stroke 'water' radical yY. (Radical 85). On the other hand, the difference between some variants is merely a slight difference in proportion. For example, the standard form «5 öf Radical 57 (as in S?) has the left-side variant 3 (as in %). The position or many radicals is constant in relation to the other elements of the character. Traditionally, the radicals are classified into categories according to their position within the character, as shown in the table below: Types of Radicals E Ä hen left i in -fig n 3 tsukuri right *K in W. B % kanmuri top h- in ig u m ashi bottom JL in Ä D m tare top-left T in E n m nyö left-bottom L in S n m kamae enclosure PI in ft The radical system is complex and difficult to master. One problem is that the simplification of the characters that took place with the introduction of the Töyö Kanji and Jôyô Kanji lists in the postwar period has resulted in the disappearance of the radical element from some characters. For example, J£ is traditionally classified under \j. (Radical 157) based on its old form JjJ, but the element tL has completely disappeared from the abbreviated form %;.. (The traditional radical of these "lost-radical" characters can be determined by looking the character up in the Radical Index.) Another problem is that some characters include several radical elements and one must choose between them. For example, |IJ consists of four elements, all of which are radicals (see SYSTEM OF KANJI INDEXING BY patterns § 1.1.1 The Radical System for details). Because of these difficulties, determining which element of a character is the radical can be a laborious task. Some useful guidelines can be found in §4. How to Determine the Radical on p. 1931. Despite these problems, the time-honored radical system, which is still in widespread use today, is important and should be learned by the serious student. A knowledge of radicals is useful for looking up characters in dictionaries and reference works based on the radical system, and helps the learner understand character etymology. 2. Radical Chart The Radical Chart below gives a full list of radical forms, variants, names, and cross-references. It includes the following information: 1. Radical The radicals and their variant forms are listed in increasing order of the stroke-counts of their standard forms, and are numbered consecutively from 1 to 214 according to the traditional historical arrangement. The radical number is a serial number assigned to each radical that is widely used in character dictionaries and reference works for identification. The left part t the Radical column gives the radical number; the right part gives the raa ical. Note that the radical and radical number for each entry character a. pear in the main part of the dictionary (see Guide § 7.2 Radical). 1770 2. Radical Name When talking about the components of Chinese characters it is convenient to describe them by naming their constituent radicals. For example, we can say that Jif- consists of sanzui (the 'water' radical) on the left and hitsuji (the 'sheep' radical) on the right. Most radicals have well-established names in Japanese. The left pah of the Radical Name column gives the romanized version of the most common name in Japanese; the right part gives the name in Japanese script.1 If a radical has more than one name, the less common one appears after a comma. The words "variant not used as radical" sometimes appear in this column. This indicates a variant used only as an independent character but not as a radical in its own right. For example, ig ryü is an independent character meaning 'dragon', but as a radical it always appears in its full form jfg. 3. English Name Some common radicals, such as 7J< the 'water' radical, have well-established names in English, but many others are called by different names in different works. The names appearing in the English Name column are based primarily on tradition, where such tradition exists, and on the meaning and/or function of the radical as a character-building element. 4. Standard and Variant Forms The Form column indicates if the radical is a standard form or a variant form. If it is a variant form, it shows the position in which it normally appears within the character, as explained below: Standard Left Right Top Bottom Enclosure Variant parent radical in its full traditional form (,fr in JX) (this form may appear in various positions) variant normally appearing on the left ( \ in ff) variant normally appearing on the right (Ij in jäjlj) variant normally appearing at the top (-•• in %$) variant normally appearing at the bottom M« in $) variant normally enclosing the remainder of the character (p in m.) variant appearing in a position other than the above (i$ in ff) For a given radical, the standard form appears first, followed by its variants. Although the original forms are called "standard," it should be noted that some variants arc more common than their standard forms. For example, j_ (Radical 162) is now the common form while the original ^ is never used. . Number The Number column indicates the entry number where the radical appears as an entry character in the body of the dictionary. That entry includes the radical section, which gives further information about the radical, such as a description of its meaning and function, and examples of characters in which the standard and variant forms appear as a radical. See guide § 8. radical Section for details. 1- Japanese radical names are often written in hiragana. As far as we know, this is the first list of radical names in their full kana-kanji "spellings." 1771 RADICAL CHART Rad cal Radical Name English Name Form Number ■ ■■ - 1 STROKE 1 —■ ich i — one standard 3341 2 I be m downstroke standard 3343 3 > ten £ dot standard 3344 4 I no y left stroke standard 3345 y no y top 3346 5 7, otsu cL hook standard 3339 I, re v variant 3340 6 J hanebö m» hooked stroke standard 3347 -■ 2 STROKES 7 — ni • two standard 1922 8 _u- nabebuta nm lid standard 3363 9 A hito A person standard 3368 A ninben Ate left 3373 a. hitoyane ASS top 3374 10 )l ninnyö, hiloashi A«, AÄ legs standard 4 11 A iru A enter standard 3370 12 A hachigashira AgS eight standard 2928 A hachi A variant 3 N / hachigashira a® top 2 13 n keigamae fňjm border standard 3352 14 wakanmuri 7l cover standard 3353 15 ľ nisui -* ice standard 1923 16 ji. tsukue in,, /L table standard 3349 R kazagamae am enclosure 3354 17 11 kannyô. ukebako ua,s^ís receptacle standard 3364 18 71 katana 73 sword standard 2926 II rittô SĺJJ right 1 19 f) chikara Ä strength standard 3371 20 n tsutsumigamae ft« wrap standard 3376 21 K sajinohi ĽOfc spoon standard 2925 22 r hakogamae DfÜ box standard 3356 23 r kakushigamae \WM - Cm enclose standard 3356 r kakushigamae n.m. nm enclosure ~* 24 t JO jühen + ten standard left 3366 3366 25 r- bokunoto hW h divine standard 3367 3357 3358 3359 26 n fushizukuri vm seal standard p, fushizukuri m% variant 27 r gandare «s cliff standard RADICAL CHART 1772 Name English Name Form oneself right hand standard standard variant 3 STROKES mouth enclosure earth knight descend move slowly evening big child roof inch small lame corpse sproul mountain work self cloth shield tiny roof proceed clasp hands spike standard left standard standard left standard standard standard bottom standard standard top standard left standard standard standard standard top top standard standard standard standard left top standard variant standard left standard variant standard standard standard standard standard enclosure standard standard Number 3376 3361 3351 1773 RADICAL CHART Radical "Š7 ^ Radical Name English Name Form Numbei 58 59 60 a 3. yumi yumihen keigashira keigashira keigashira sanzukuri gyôninben 61 ;L> 62 X 63 p P 64 ^ 65 % % 66 £ 67 £ 68 S\- 69 JT 70 ^ 71 5E 72 H B 73 B a 74 n 75 /f: 76 X 77 jfc. It 78 y 79 5: 80 ft kokoro risshinben shitagokoro kanohoko tobiranoto tobiranoto te tehen shinyö, jümata shinyö, jümata bokuzukuri, tomata nobun bun, bunnyö bun, bunnyö tomasu ono kata j munyô sudenotsukuri sudenotsukuri hi hi hirabi hirabi tsuki tsuki tsuki ki kihen akubi tomeru tomehen gatsuhen rumata, hokozukuri haha, nakare haha, nakare 3 bow pig's head fiAti» 4 STROKES ■b y-Ĺ- x pcop m, +x x«, +x 1 /í 1 % , X« 4 5t$ decoration locomotion Q B f-B ň Sk s heart spear door hand branch strike pattern measure ax square without sun say moon tree yawn stop death club mother standard left standard variant variant standard standard 3383 3396 3397 3407 1927 1928 standard 11 left 8 bottom 12 standard 3462 standard 2950 enclosure 1930 standard 3456 left 3414 standard 1980 right 1979 standard 1981 right 1985 standard 1966 variant 1962 standard 2953 standard 2949 standard 1963 standard 3443 right 3444 right standard ' 3028 variant | 3027 standard 3025 variant 3026 standard variant 2956 variant 2957 standard 345O left — standard 1987 standard 2941 left standard ! 3445 standard | l978 i standard variant 3447 1774 RADICAL CHART Radical Name English Name Form I Number 81 it 82 % 83 Si 84 *t 85 7X * 86 'X 87 /ft 88 X X 89 90 91 92 h variant not used as radical kuraberu, hi J^ ke ^ ui' S; kigamae ÄÄ mizu 7JC sanzui — 7k shitamizu TVK hi x rekka %[& tsume J]{ notsu y -y tsumekanmuri JľyM. chichi 3£ variant not used as radical meme TT 93 1%- /t 94 ± meme shôhen kata kiba kiba ushi ushihen inu kemonohen 97 Ä 98 X 99 -y- 100 £ 101 % 102 H 103 J£ í 104 f gen tama tamahen uri kawara amai umareru mochiiru ta hiki hikihen yamaidare MS am n compare hair . family name vapor water fire a claw father crisscross stand board sharp tooth cattle X X. 105 A hatsugashira nšs 106 ÉJ shiro ô 107 & kegawa €£ 108 m sara m 109 B me g 110 í hoko f gem gourd tile sweet birth use field animal illness spread white skin dish eye lance legs standard standard left standard standard standard standard standard standard standard left standard standard standard standard standard standard standard 3475 standard 26 standard 3453 standard 2951 standard 1986 standard 10 left 1925 bottom 37 standard 3463 bottom 13 standard 3024 top 1934 top 1935 standard 1975 1973 standard 1988 variant 1989 standard 3468 standard 3461 standard 3435 left 3488 standard 3452 left 3458 standard 3464 left 3428 1991 3477 3448 3038 3476 3494 3497 2976 3041 3480 3489 3512 40 3493 3037 3474 3043 2008 1775 RADICAL CHART Radical Radical Name English Name Form 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 £ I ya & | yahen Í5 I ishi % ft ft Íl i ishihen shimesu nehen. shimesuhen shimesuhen gúnoashi nogi nogihen ana anakanmuri 5XS variant not used as radica tatsu I 3Í tatsuhen l£.i arrow stone deity track growing grain hole stand standard left standard left standard left left standard standard left standard top standard left Number 2009 2971 1936 3469 3470 3503 2161 2160 2159 1992 1776 RADICAL CHART Radical Radica Name \ English Name Form Number 132 g mizukara g self standard 3525 133 ■§; itaru m arrive standard 1 2182 134 B usu m mortar standard 3528 usu B variant 845 135 ;g-s shita s tongue standard 2186 shitahen ffiS left 136 yif j masu ýrt I maiashi n dancing standard 205 nm bottom 237 137 ft 1 I funě ä ship standard 3538 funehen Mm left 138 J^ t kon. ushitora I s northeast standard 3517 I 139 g Ě I kon, ushitora iro 1 R color variant standard 2029 irozukuri m right 140 jjHjl kusa ¥ plants standard 209 -++- kusakanmuri ¥3 top 3415 •++- i kusakanmuri ¥S top 24 -n- I kusakanmuri 141 /* I torakanmuri 142 t|j | mushi ijj l mushihen tiger top standard 29 3198 A bug standard 3530 *te left 143 JUL I chi $1 1 chihen JÚI blood standard 3526 Hffl left 144 ^f 1 gyô n road standard 212 ÍT gyögamae ÍTÄ enclosure 213 145 2£ i koromo S clothes standard 2013 koromohen Sfe left 3513 .^ koromo S variant 2017 146 frff nishi S cover standard 3522 35 nishi tra variant not used as S top 3523 radical 3520 7 STROKES 147 Jj^ . miru M • ■ •' • • • ■ ■ ■ ] ■■!■! ' i see standard 2544 148 ft n tsuno Ä horn standard 2047 tsunohen Äte left 149 1" kotoba B .íf? speech standard 1941 Í3 gonben síl left 150 £ táni £ valley standard 2043 Ä i tanihen #S eft 151 j3 | mame S ritual vessel standard 1943 g I mamehen äffi eft 152 ^ I inoko w. pig standard 3543 ^ j inokohen íy mujina WS rariant % ivild animal tandard 2401 1777 RADICAL CHART Radical Radical Name English Name Form Number 154 ^ 1 155 # $ 156 JÉ it 157 £ 158 % t 159 $ f 160 ^ 161 g 162 %_ 163 g P 164 g 165 j£ f 166 S kai kaihen aka akahen hashiru sônyô ashi ashihen mi mihen kuruma kurumahen karai I karai ■ shinnotatsu I shinnyô, shinnyü j shinnyô. shinnyü I shinnyô, shinnyü j mura ôzato hiyominotori torihen nogome nogomehen sato satohen # Z® cowry red run foot body vehicle acrid the Dragon advance city I wine separate hamlet standard variant standard left standard enclosure standard left standard left standard left standard left standard standard enclosure enclosure standard right standard left i standard | left standard left 167 ^ 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 8 STROKES kane kanehen nagai nagai mon, mongamae gifunofu kozatohen reizukuri , furutori ame amekanmuri | ao ao arazu S.WI Wfj ffiS metal long gate mound capture small bird rain blue not standard left standard left standard standard left standard standard standard top. standard variant standard Radical Name English Name Number 9 STROKES 176 pg 177 If I 178 |T 179 IM 180 ^ is m 181 JJ 182 JÜ, HL 183 fä 184 -É" 185 189 193 194 men kawa kawahen nameshigawa nameshigawa nira oto oto ögai kaze kaze tobu shoku shokuhen shokuhen shoku kubi nioikô IM *H fe)v>§ .face rawhide leather leek sound head wind fly food neck fragrance 188 -ff- m 190 g£ 191 A 192 W umahen hone honehen takai kamikanmuri tôgamae chô kaku kaku oni kinyö &** bone high hair fight fragrant wine ritual tripod ghost standard left standard left standard standard standard standard standard variant standard enclosure 11 STROKES 195 # I 196 JĹ 197 jgj 198 H 199 m l_ uo uohen tori tori ro shika baku bakunyö variant not used standard left standard right standard standard standard enclosure standard 2087 standard 2448 left — standard 2268 variant 2287 standard 3574 standard 1948 variant 2070 standard 2086 standard 3007 left — standard 3572 standard 2077 left 2061 left 2076 variant 2075 standard 2265 standard 2568 2654 2097 1464 1165 2758 1951 2657 2127 3312 2125 3126 2767 2766 2408 Radical Radical Name English Name Form 3130 3129 3125 200 R asa f&* asakanmuri JÄ asakanmuri ß ' variant not used as radical hemp standard enclosure enclosure 12 STROKES 201 202 203 204 i kiiro Ufi variant not used as radical kibi kuroi kuroi futsu yellow millet black embroidery standard standard standard variant standard 2487 2468 2597 2787 2740 2605 13 STROKES '■''■ ■:":■:" "'■ . ' ■ ■ ■ ■ . '■ . "..■".'..'. ■ 205 206 207 208 ben kanae tsuzumi nezumi nezuminyô K ritual cauldron drum rat standard standard standard standard enclosure 3584 3585 1786 2693 209 A hana H I hanahen Ä variant not used as radical 210 W sei 15 STROKES 211 ha hahen hahen ha tooth standard left left variant 16 STROKES 2516 2476 212 213 tatsu i eg variant not used as radical variant not used as radical käme käme variant not used as radical 214 yaku 17 STROKES Ér I flute andard 2149