Chinese Character Components
Chinese characters are built from recurring parts called components. HanziFeed indexes 719 components that each appear in at least 2 characters across the HSK 3.0 character set (CLEC 2022 syllabus). Components are classified by their primary role: semantic (contributing meaning), phonetic (suggesting pronunciation), or structural (providing visual framework).
Components go beyond the traditional 214 Kangxi radicals. While radicals classify characters in dictionaries, components reveal how characters are actually built — including phonetic elements that hint at pronunciation and structural pieces that give characters their shape. Browsing by component is one of the most effective ways to see patterns across the writing system.
719
Total Components
94
Semantic
462
Phonetic
163
Structural
Semantic Components (94)
Semantic components contribute meaning to the characters they appear in. For example, the water component (氵) appears in characters related to liquids, rivers, and flowing.
氵氵(204)口mouth(204)扌扌(185)木wood/tree(149)艹艹(137)亻亻(127)土earth, soil(89)讠讠(81)⺼⺼(78)纟纟(73)女woman(72)辶辶(68)阝阝(62)火fire(60)钅钅(60)忄忄(56)贝shell, money(53)心heart, mind(53)王king or monarch(50)虫insect(42)目eye(42)刂刂(42)禾(bound form) grain plant(40)石stone(40)⺮⺮(39)山mountain(36)力power(34)马horse(33)米uncooked rice(33)足foot(33)疒疒(32)攵攵(31)车vehicle(28)页page(28)犭犭(25)酉酉(23)饣饣(22)门door, gate(21)穴cave(21)冫冫(21)灬灬(19)欠to owe(19)礻礻(19)耳ear(18)雨rain(16)衤衤(15)鸟bird(13)彡彡(12)走to walk(12)羽feather(12)手hand(11)糸糸(11)矢arrow(10)舟boat(10)见to see(9)革animal hide(9)鱼fish(9)鬼disembodied spirit(9)歹bad(8)气gas(8)言words(6)骨bone(5)行to walk(5)身body(5)缶缶(4)壴壴(4)父father(4)尢尢(4)耒耒(4)瓦roof tile(3)片thin piece(3)釆釆(3)金metal, gold(3)髟髟(3)敕敕(2)爪foot of a bird or animal(2)首head(2)鬲鬲(2)冏冏(2)灰ash, gray(2)豸豸(2)廴廴(2)攴攴(2)肉meat(2)民(bound form) the people(2)玨玨(2)戎戎(2)死to die(2)⺗⺗(2)男male(2)黍黍(2)肃respectful(2)血blood(2)鹿deer(2)
Phonetic Components (462)
Phonetic components suggest pronunciation. Characters sharing a phonetic component often have similar sounds, making them powerful cues for reading unfamiliar characters.
工work(22)白white(19)羊sheep(18)方square(18)干dry(16)者(after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ...(15)艮艮(14)令to order(14)分to divide(14)文language(14)丁male adult(13)各each(13)非to not be(13)肖similar(13)圭sundial(13)青green(12)由to follow(12)尚still(12)可can, may(11)皮leather(11)包to cover(11)少few(11)共common(11)且and(11)古ancient(11)卜(bound form) to divine(11)交to hand over(11)莫do not(11)林forest, woods(11)韦soft leather(11)良good(10)台Taiwan (abbr.)(10)占to observe(10)巴Ba, a state during the Zhou dynasty (in present-day Chongqing and the eastern part of Sichuan)(10)佥佥(10)中(bound form) China(10)甬甬(10)龙Chinese dragon(10)每each(9)戋戋(9)曷曷(9)尧Yao or Tang Yao (c. 2200 BC), one of the Five legendary Emperors 五帝, second son of Di Ku 帝嚳|帝喾(9)旦(literary) dawn(9)合to close(9)亥亥(9)京capital city of a country(9)其his(9)里lining(9)云(classical) to say(9)比Belgium(9)丬丬(9)不no(8)奇strange(8)加Canada (abbr. for 加拿大)(8)亡to die(8)昔former times(8)己self(8)半half(8)从from(8)咅咅(8)九nine(8)区area(8)夋夋(8)俞yes (used by Emperor or ruler)(8)仓barn(8)川(bound form) river(8)也also(7)屯to station (soldiers)(7)反contrary(7)生to be born(7)次next in sequence(7)召to call together(7)寺Buddhist temple(7)兑to cash(7)果fruit, result(7)夫husband(7)至to arrive(7)申old name for Shanghai 上海(7)畐畐(7)牙tooth(7)予(literary) to give(7)元Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)(7)尤outstanding(7)旁one side(7)㐬㐬(6)去to go(6)乍at first(6)支to support(6)才ability(6)卓outstanding(6)乔tall(6)直Zhi (c. 2000 BC), fifth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God(6)主owner(6)未not yet(6)只classifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etc(6)正straight(6)免to excuse sb(6)军(bound form) army(6)⺌⺌(6)勺spoon(6)勿do not(6)卒soldier(6)麻hemp, numb(6)扁flat(6)谷grain(6)豕豕(6)兆(bound form) omen(6)余(literary) I(6)单bill(6)乙second of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干(6)甫(classical) barely(6)辟to open (a door)(6)喿喿(6)豆legume(6)高high(6)胡non-Han people, esp. from central Asia(5)昜昜(5)因cause(5)臽臽(5)娄娄(5)弟younger brother(5)今now(5)相mutual, appearance(5)曼handsome(5)更more(5)乃to be(5)兼double(5)安safe, peace(5)井Jing, one of the 28 constellations of Chinese astronomy(5)平flat(5)周week, around(5)炎flame(5)真really(5)及and(5)宛winding(5)录to carve wood(5)介to introduce(5)卯mortise (slot cut into wood to receive a tenon)(5)寿long life(5)我I(5)并and(5)付to pay(5)登to scale (a height)(5)易easy(5)巨very large(5)宗school(5)禺禺(5)化to make into(5)监to supervise(5)辰5th earthly branch: 7-9 a.m., 3rd solar month (5th April-4th May), year of the Dragon(5)仑to arrange(5)詹(literary) verbose(5)此this(5)夭夭(5)丂丂(5)多many(5)番time, foreign(5)折to break(5)尃尃(5)刍刍(5)争to strive for(5)亢亢(5)耑耑(5)襄(literary) to assist(5)同like(4)执to execute (a plan)(4)列to arrange(4)公public(4)乞to beg(4)咸all(4)叚叚(4)奂奂(4)旨imperial decree(4)是is, yes(4)吾(old) I(4)爰爰(4)西the West(4)斩to chop(4)长long(4)失to lose(4)冈ridge(4)呙呙(4)夆夆(4)勾to attract(4)秀(bound form) refined(4)曾once(4)出to go out(4)卑low(4)内inside(4)君monarch(4)末tip(4)司to take charge of(4)叔uncle(4)翏翏(4)屈bent(4)廷palace courtyard(4)丙third of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干(4)叟叟(4)风wind(4)垂to hang (down)(4)害to do harm to(4)焦anxious, burnt(4)采to pick(4)舀舀(4)卬卬(4)束to bind(4)告tell, inform(4)它it(4)央center(4)匋匋(4)敝敝(4)路road(4)甲first of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干(4)朋friend(4)光light(4)句sentence(4)苗Hmong or Miao ethnic group of southwest China(4)朿朿(4)吕pitchpipe, pitch standard, one of the twelve semitones in the traditional tone system(4)秋autumn(4)丑clown(4)员member, staff(4)䍃䍃(4)罗gauze(4)章chapter(4)乇乇(4)既already(4)母mother(4)切to cut(4)亚Asia(4)必certainly(4)朱vermilion(4)曹Zhou Dynasty vassal state(4)孚孚(4)瓜melon(4)甚excessive(4)容to contain, appearance(4)奄奄(4)贞chaste(4)先beforehand(3)前front(3)某certain, some(3)丩丩(3)尼Buddhist nun(3)壬壬(3)吴area comprising southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang and Shanghai(3)式type(3)义(Tw) Italy (abbr. for 義大利|义大利)(3)成to succeed(3)知to know(3)庄village, manor(3)保to protect, to guarantee(3)兹(literary) this(3)专for a particular person, occasion, purpose(3)枼枼(3)玄black(3)吉lucky(3)柬card(3)冬winter(3)代to be a substitute for(3)官official(3)冘冘(3)夸to boast(3)危danger(3)逢to meet by chance(3)那(specifier) that(3)完to finish(3)票ticket(3)本(bound form) root(3)昌(bound form) prosperous(3)永forever(3)孝filial piety or obedience(3)居to reside(3)齐(name of states and dynasties at several different periods)(3)以to use(3)则(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but(3)崔(literary) (of mountains) lofty(3)敖敖(3)象elephant(3)堇堇(3)太highest(3)童child(3)兰orchid (蘭花|兰花 Cymbidium goeringii)(3)昆descendant(3)卂卂(3)星star(3)左left(3)若to seem(3)具tool(3)弗(literary) not(3)劳(bound form) to toil(3)氐氐(3)唐Tang dynasty (618–907)(3)委committee, to entrust(3)敫敫(3)龹龹(3)匀even(3)东east(3)离to leave(3)尉military officer(3)南south(3)啇啇(3)㐱㐱(3)矣classical final particle, similar to modern 了(3)参to take part in(3)荅荅(3)会can(3)肙肙(3)于(of time or place) in(3)宾visitor(3)产to give birth(3)帝emperor(3)家home, family(3)匊匊(3)尹(literary) to administer(3)匡匡(3)览to look at(3)夌夌(3)丈measure of length, ten Chinese feet (3.3 m)(3)尞尞(3)留to stay, to keep(3)宁peaceful(3)如as, if(3)全all(3)难difficult (to...)(3)喜to be fond of(3)宣to declare (publicly)(3)粦粦(3)奚surname Xi(2)昷昷(2)罙罙(2)原former(2)亭pavilion(2)波wave(2)午7th earthly branch: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., noon, 5th solar month (6th June-6th July), year of the Horse(2)並並(2)竟unexpectedly(2)连to connect, even(2)或maybe(2)色color(2)宓宓(2)祭to offer a sacrifice to (gods or ancestors)(2)串to string together(2)坐to sit(2)隶(bound form) a person in servitude(2)属category(2)早early, morning(2)爻爻(2)蚤蚤(2)沙granule(2)咠咠(2)市market(2)矦矦(2)布to announce(2)求to seek(2)彦accomplished(2)邦(bound form) country(2)斥to blame(2)泉spring (small stream)(2)異異(2)奏to play music(2)巩(bound form) to fix in place(2)荒desolate(2)空empty, sky(2)屋(bound form) house(2)矛spear(2)当(onom.) dong(2)朝imperial or royal court(2)呈to present to a superior(2)彖彖(2)尊senior(2)孛comet(2)与and(2)颠top (of the head)(2)彭surname Peng(2)景scenery(2)冉edge of a tortoiseshell(2)建to establish(2)奴slave(2)敬(bound form) respectful(2)攸攸(2)卷to roll up(2)朔beginning(2)夷non-Han people, esp. to the East of China(2)奉to offer (tribute)(2)畀畀(2)朵flower(2)之(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的)(2)羔羔(2)侯nobleman(2)耤耤(2)利sharp(2)贲贲(2)聂to whisper(2)亏to lose (money)(2)厷厷(2)旬ten days(2)夗夗(2)客guest, customer(2)巿巿(2)感to feel, to sense(2)剌perverse(2)刅刅(2)明bright, tomorrow(2)右(bound form) right(2)署office(2)忝忝(2)五five(2)皆all(2)戒to guard against(2)翟翟(2)益benefit(2)亶亶(2)州prefecture(2)差difference(2)汤soup(2)定to decide, fixed(2)陏陏(2)伏to lean over(2)府government office(2)復復(2)雚雚(2)旱drought(2)赤red(2)亨亨(2)华Mount Hua 華山|华山 in Shaanxi(2)皇emperor(2)畺畺(2)疌疌(2)蒙to cover, Mongolia(2)面face(2)圼圼(2)丕grand(2)桼桼(2)需to need(2)师teacher(2)善good (virtuous)(2)黾黾(2)欶欶(2)覃覃(2)世life(2)乌crow(2)希to hope(2)息breath(2)隽隽(2)解to divide(2)厓厓(2)巽巽(2)豖豖(2)敢to dare(2)来to come(2)殿palace hall(2)袁long robe (old)(2)展to spread out(2)倝倝(2)将will(2)美(bound form) the Americas (abbr. for 美洲)(2)算to regard as(2)癸癸(2)垔垔(2)晋the Jin Dynasties (265–420)(2)敄敄(2)
Structural Components (163)
Structural components provide the visual framework of a character without directly contributing meaning or sound. They are essential for understanding how characters are composed.
一one(89)日sun, day(74)宀宀(55)又(once) again(46)十ten(39)广wide, broad(36)大big(34)人person(32)冖冖(32)亠亠(32)丷丷(31)丿丿(31)巾towel(30)隹隹(26)田field(26)厂factory(26)丶丶(26)八eight(25)寸a unit of length(25)尸(literary) person representing the deceased (during burial ceremonies)(25)丨丨(22)几how many(21)子son(21)冂冂(21)彐彐(21)厶厶(21)彳彳(21)立to stand(19)戈dagger-axe(19)二two(19)月moon, month(18)囗囗(18)弓a bow (weapon)(18)户a household(17)衣clothing(17)乂乂(17)牛ox(15)止to stop(15)斤catty(15)乚乚(15)匕匕(15)皿(bound form) dish(15)夕(bound form) sunset(14)夂夂(14)殳殳(13)刀knife(13)儿child(13)小small(13)罒罒(13)舌tongue(12)犬(literary) dog(11)廾廾(11)勹勹(11)士member of the senior ministerial class (old)(10)⺈⺈(10)示to show(10)辛(of taste) hot or pungent(10)卩卩(9)亦also(9)毛hair(9)甘(bound form) sweet(8)水water(8)凵凵(8)自(bound form) self(7)爫爫(7)疋疋(7)开to open (transitive or intransitive)(7)廿廿(7)⺊⺊(7)斗dry measure for grain equal to ten 升 or one-tenth of a 石(7)巳巳(7)夹to press from either side(7)虍虍(7)幺幺(7)夬夬(6)玉jade(6)亅亅(6)天day(6)兄elder brother(6)千thousand(6)丰luxuriant(6)匚匚(6)音sound(5)凶terrible(5)了(completed action marker)(5)下down(5)龶龶(5)覀覀(5)⺀⺀(5)聿聿(5)卖to sell(5)三three(5)用to use(5)㔾㔾(5)丘mound(5)上(bound form) up(4)角angle(4)氏(bound form) family name(4)㠯㠯(4)⺍⺍(4)匸匸(4)两two(4)取to take(4)而and(4)七seven(4)耂耂(4)曰to speak(4)凡ordinary(4)弋弋(4)尺a Chinese foot(4)兀surname Wu(4)北north(4)氺氺(4)业line of business(4)享to enjoy(4)暴violent, storm(3)尔thus(3)帛silk(3)贵expensive(3)兔rabbit(3)发to send out(3)乏short of(3)关mountain pass(3)办to take care of (a matter)(3)乛乛(3)责responsibility(3)戊fifth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干(3)刃edge of blade(3)龺龺(3)黑black(3)冋冋(3)臼臼(3)臣state official or subject in dynastic China(3)育to educate, to raise(3)回to circle(3)有to have(3)册book(3)退to retreat, to return(2)头head(2)帀帀(2)倠倠(2)任task, to appoint(2)刖刖(2)另other, another(2)镸镸(2)兴to rise(2)冗extraneous(2)急urgent(2)步a step(2)屮屮(2)亼亼(2)六six(2)禸禸(2)亘亘(2)万ten thousand(2)肀肀(2)酋酋(2)巛巛(2)卄卄(2)叒叒(2)武martial(2)双two(2)屰屰(2)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Chinese character component?
A component is any recurring part that appears inside multiple Chinese characters. Components are the building blocks of the writing system — most characters are composed of two or more components combined in specific positions (left-right, top-bottom, enclosing, etc.). HanziFeed indexes 719 components that each appear in at least 2 characters across the HSK 3.0 character set (CLEC 2022 syllabus). Understanding components makes it possible to decode unfamiliar characters by recognizing their parts.
What is the difference between a radical and a component?
Radicals are a specific subset of components. The 214 Kangxi radicals are the traditional set used to classify and look up characters in dictionaries — every character is assigned exactly one radical. Components are the broader set of all recurring parts in characters, including radicals, phonetic elements, and structural pieces. A character like 请 contains the radical 讠 (speech) and the phonetic component 青 (qīng). Both are components, but only 讠 is the radical. On HanziFeed, you can browse characters by either system: radicals for dictionary-style classification, or components for structural decomposition.
What are semantic, phonetic, and structural components?
Chinese character components serve three distinct roles. Semantic components contribute meaning — for example, 氵 (water) appears in characters related to liquids and flowing (河 river, 洗 wash, 海 sea). Phonetic components suggest pronunciation — for example, 青 (qīng) gives a similar sound to 请 (qǐng), 清 (qīng), and 情 (qíng). Structural components provide the visual framework without directly contributing meaning or sound. Of the 719 components indexed on HanziFeed, 94 are primarily semantic, 462 are primarily phonetic, and 163 are primarily structural. Components are classified based on their most common role across all characters they appear in.
How many components are there in Chinese characters?
HanziFeed indexes 719 components that each appear in at least 2 characters within the HSK 3.0 character set (CLEC 2022 syllabus). This includes 94 semantic components, 462 phonetic components, and 163 structural components. The most productive components appear in dozens or even hundreds of characters. Note that the total number of possible components depends on how characters are decomposed — HanziFeed uses structural decomposition analysis to identify the meaningful parts within each character.
How do components help with learning Chinese characters?
Components are the most powerful tool for systematic character learning. Instead of memorizing each character as a unique shape, learners who understand components can: (1) break unfamiliar characters into recognizable parts, (2) guess pronunciation from phonetic components (correct roughly 40% of the time), (3) infer meaning categories from semantic components, and (4) distinguish similar-looking characters by identifying which components differ. For example, knowing that 氵 means water instantly connects 河 (river), 湖 (lake), 洋 (ocean), 泪 (tears), and dozens more. This structural approach is especially effective from HSK 3 onward, where characters become more compositionally complex.
Sources & Standards
Components are identified through structural decomposition analysis of characters in the HSK 3.0 Standard (《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准》), published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 2022 revision. Radical classifications follow the Kangxi radical system (康熙部首).