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List of kanji radicals

List of kanji radicals ordered by number of strokes

Every kanji character can be decomposed in one or multiple components. Each one of those components are called "radicals" 部首. They help to identify a specific character in Japanese dictionaries. For example, the character is formed by two different radicals: and .

Sometimes these radicals have some meaning related to the final meaning of the kanji, but that's not always the case.

Where to look for a radical

Inside the character, the radical can be found in 7 different positions:

PositionNameExample
へん hen Left sideへん henradical 海
つくり tsukuri Right sideつくり tsukuriradical 刊
かんむり kanmuri Topかんむり kanmuriradical 茶
あし ashi Bottomあし ashiradical 烈
たれ tare Top left sideたれ tareradical 原
にょう nyou Bottom left sideにょう nyouradical 道
かまえ kamae Enclosure
Also: かまえ kamae かまえ kamae  かまえ kamae かまえ kamae かまえ kamae
かまえ kamaeradical 国

Japanese kanji radicals list

#RadicalOther formsStroke countTagsMeaning
11 strokeimportant radicalone; a horizontal stroke
21 strokeimportant radicala vertical stroke
31 strokeimportant radicala dot
41 strokeimportant radicala stroke curved to the left
5乚, ⺄, 乛

1 strokea bend stroke; the second of celestial stems
61 strokea hook
72 strokestwo; two horizontal strokes
82 strokesimportant radicalhead, above, lid
9亻, ⺅, 𠆢

𠆢
2 strokesimportant radicalman, a person
102 strokeslegs; man, a person (at the bottom of a character)
112 strokesentering, starting
122 strokesimportant radicaleight; to part, to divide
132 strokesdown box, wilderness
142 strokescover
152 strokestwo dots; ice, cold
162 strokessmall table
172 strokescontainer, wide opened mouth
18刂, ⺉, ⺈

2 strokesimportant radicalknife, sword, cutting, separating
192 strokesimportant radicalstrength, force
202 strokeswrap, embrace
212 strokesspoon, ladle
222 strokessquare box
233 strokesround box
242 strokesimportant radicalten; two crossed strokes
25⼘, ⺊
2 strokesdivining
262 strokesseal, stamp
272 strokesimportant radicalcliff
282 strokesself, private
292 strokesgrasping, further, again
303 strokesimportant radicalmouth, opening, sounding
313 strokesimportant radicalenclosure
323 strokesimportant radicalearth, soil
333 strokesofficial, scholar
343 strokeswalking slowly
353 strokesovertaking
363 strokesevening
373 strokesbig, large
383 strokesimportant radicalwoman, female
393 strokeschild, son, seed; the first of terrestrial branches
403 strokesimportant radicalroof, cover
413 strokesinch
42⺌, ⺍
3 strokesimportant radicalsmall
43尤, 尣
3 strokeslame
443 strokesimportant radicalcorpse, body
453 strokessprout
463 strokesimportant radicalmountain, cliff
47川, 巜
3 strokesriver, stream
483 strokeswork
49己, 巳
3 strokesself, own; the sixth of celestial stems
503 strokesimportant radicaltowel, napkin, turban
513 strokesdried
523 strokesshort, tiny
533 strokesimportant radicalhouse built at a slope, dotted cliff
543 strokeswalking a long distance
55廿廿3 strokestwo hands (at bottom of character); twenty
563 strokesshoot; arrow
573 strokesimportant radicalbow
58ヨ, 彑
3 strokespig head
593 strokeshair, feather
603 strokesimportant radicalwalking slowly
61忄, ⺗
4 strokesimportant radicalheart, feeling
624 strokesaxe, halberd
63戶, 户
4 strokeshouse, door
64扌, 龵
4 strokesimportant radicalhand, actions
654 strokesbranch
664 strokesimportant radicalwhip
674 strokesword, literature
684 strokesa kind of volume measure
694 strokesa kind of weight measure; axe
704 strokessquare, direction, locality
71旡, 無
4 strokesdo not, no
724 strokesimportant radicalsun, clear
734 strokesspeaking
744 strokesmoon, month
754 strokesimportant radicaltree, wood
764 strokesyawn, lack
774 strokesstopping
784 strokesdead, decay
794 strokeshalberd
80母, ⺟
4 strokesmother
814 strokesside by side, comparing
824 strokeshair, feather
834 strokesclan
844 strokesair, breath
85氵, 氺
4 strokesimportant radicalwater
864 strokesimportant radicalfire
87爫, ⺥, ⺤

4 strokesclaw, hand
884 strokesfather
894 strokesmix, twine, cross
904 strokeshalf of a tree trunk, split wood
914 strokesslice, piece
925 strokesfang
93牜, ⺧
4 strokesimportant radicalcow, ox
944 strokesimportant radicaldog, dog-like animals
955 strokesblack, dark, profound
96玉, 玊, ⺩

4 strokesimportant radicaljade, stone, king, ball
976 strokespumpkin, melon
985 strokestile, earthenware
995 strokessweet
1005 strokesgiving birth, live
1015 strokesusing
1025 strokesimportant radicalfield
1035 strokesroll, bolt of cloth
1045 strokesimportant radicalsickness
1055 strokesfootsteps
1065 strokeswhite
1075 strokesleather, skin
1085 strokesimportant radicaldish, plate
1095 strokesimportant radicaleye
1105 strokesspear, pike
1115 strokesarrow
1125 strokesimportant radicalstone, rock
1135 strokesimportant radicalaltar, display, spiritual, ancestor
1145 strokesrump, track
1155 strokesimportant radicalgrain, ear
1165 strokeshollow, hole, hidden
1175 strokesimportant radicalstand, erect
1186 strokesimportant radicalbamboo
1196 strokesimportant radicalrice
1206 strokesimportant radicalthread, fabric
1216 strokestin, can, jar
122网, 罓, ⺲, ⺳


5 strokesnet
123⺶, ⺷
6 strokessheep, goat
1246 strokeswings, feather
125老, ⺹
6 strokesold
1266 strokesmoustache, beard; but, and
1276 strokeshandle of a plough
1286 strokesimportant radicalear
129肀, ⺻
6 strokesink brush
130⺼, 月
6 strokesimportant radicalmeat, organs of the body
1317 strokesminister, official
1326 strokesnose, oneself
1336 strokesarrive
1346 strokesmortar
1356 strokestongue
1367 strokeslying side by side, opposite
1376 strokesimportant radicalboat, ship
1386 strokesstopping
1396 strokescolor, outlook
140艸, ⺾, 䒑, 丷


6 strokesimportant radicalgrass, herb, plant
1416 strokestiger
1426 strokesimportant radicalinsect, creeping animal
1436 strokesblood
1446 strokeswalk, row, line, journey
1456 strokesimportant radicalclothing
146襾, 覀
6 strokescover, west
1477 strokesimportant radicalsee
1487 strokeshorn; a kind of volume measure
1497 strokesimportant radicalspeaking, speech
1507 strokesvalley
1517 strokesbean; a kind of vessel
1527 strokespig
1537 strokessmall hairy animals (cat, badger)
1547 strokesimportant radicalshell
1557 strokesred, bare
1567 strokesrun
1577 strokesimportant radicalfoot, leg, walking
1587 strokesbody
1597 strokesimportant radicalcart, car
1607 strokesbitter; the eighth of celectial stems
1617 strokesmorning; the fifth of terrestrial branches
162辶, ⻌, ⻍, 辵


4 strokesimportant radicalstamping on the earth, going
163阝, 邑
3 strokesimportant radicalvillage, town
1647 strokessake, wine, jar; the tenth of terrestrial branches
1657 strokesdistiguishing, separating
1667 strokesmile, village, hamlet
1678 strokesimportant radicalmetal, gold
1688 strokeslong, hair
1698 strokesimportant radicaldoor, gate
170阝, 阜
3 strokesimportant radicalhill, dam
1718 strokesslave, reaching, catching
1728 strokesimportant radicalsmall bird
1738 strokesimportant radicalrain
1748 strokesblue, green
1758 strokeswrong
1769 strokesface
1779 strokesskin, leather, changing
17810 strokestanned leather
1799 strokeschives, scallion
1809 strokessound
1819 strokesimportant radicalbig shell
1829 strokeswind
1839 strokesfly
1849 strokesimportant radicaleat, food
1859 strokesneck, head
1869 strokesodor, perfume
18710 strokesimportant radicalhorse
18810 strokesbone
18910 strokestall, high
19010 strokeslong hair
19110 strokesfight, battle
19210 strokessacrificial wine
19310 strokestripod, cauldron
19410 strokesghost, spirit
19511 strokesimportant radicalfish
19611 strokesimportant radicalbird
19711 strokessalt
19811 strokesdeer
1997 strokeswheat
20011 strokeshemp
20111 strokesyellow
20212 strokesmillet
20311 strokesblack
20412 strokesneedlework
20513 strokesfrog, amphibian
20613 strokessacrificial tripod, three-legged cauldron
20713 strokesdrum
20813 strokesmouse, rat
20914 strokesnose, self
2108 strokesequal, alike
21112 strokesteeth
21210 strokesdragon
21311 strokesturtle
21417 strokesflute