戈

Dagger-axe Component (戈)

gē · 4 strokes

The dagger-axe component (戈) is a component found in Chinese characters. In Chinese, components serve different roles: semantic elements contribute meaning, phonetic elements suggest pronunciation, and structural elements provide the character's framework. It primarily serves as a structural element in character composition. It typically appears on the right side of a character. 12 characters: 2 in HSK 1, 3 in HSK 3, 2 in HSK 4, 1 in HSK 5, 1 in HSK 6, 3 in HSK 7-9. Components are identified through character decomposition analysis.

Radical vs. Component: 戈 is also a Kangxi radical (halberd). As a radical, it classifies characters in dictionaries. As a component, it appears as a building block contributing meaning, sound, or structure. For radical-specific details, see the Dagger-axe Radical (戈) page.

Dagger-axe Component at a Glance

Stroke Count4
Total Characters12
Primary RoleStructural
Typical Positionright side
Most Common HSK LevelHSK 3 (3 characters)
Avg. Character Strokes8
Also a Kangxi Radical?Yes — view radical page

All Dagger-axe Component Characters

HSK 1 (2 characters)

找zhǎoto look for我wǒI

HSK 3 (3 characters)

成chéngto succeed戏xìtrick或huòmaybe

HSK 4 (2 characters)

划huáto row民mín(bound form) the people

HSK 5 (1 characters)

战zhànto fight

HSK 6 (1 characters)

戒jièto guard against

HSK 7-9 (3 characters)

戳chuōto jab伐fáto cut down栽zāito plant

Frequently Asked Questions

What characters contain the dagger-axe component (戈)?
There are 12 characters containing the dagger-axe component (戈) in the HSK 3.0 character set (CLEC 2022 syllabus): 2 in HSK 1, 3 in HSK 3, 2 in HSK 4, 1 in HSK 5, 1 in HSK 6, 3 in HSK 7-9. The most frequently used include 我 (wǒ, "I"), 成 (chéng, "to succeed"), 民 (mín, "(bound form) the people"), 战 (zhàn, "to fight"), 或 (huò, "maybe"). Components are identified through character decomposition analysis.
Is 戈 a radical or a component?
戈 is both. As a Kangxi radical, 戈 (halberd) is part of the traditional system of 214 radicals used to classify Chinese characters in dictionaries. As a component, 戈 is a building block that contributes meaning, sound, or structure to compound characters. When a character "has the dagger-axe radical," it means 戈 is the character's primary classifier. When a character "contains the dagger-axe component," it means 戈 appears in the character's decomposition, regardless of whether it serves as the primary radical.
Where does 戈 appear in a character?
The dagger-axe component (戈) most commonly appears on the right side of a character. Full position breakdown: right side (7 characters), outer (enclosing) part (3 characters), left side (1 characters), overlay (1 characters). Knowing where a component typically sits helps with character recognition — when you see 戈 in its usual position, you can quickly identify it and infer the character's meaning or pronunciation.
What HSK levels include dagger-axe component characters?
Characters containing the dagger-axe component (戈) appear across 6 HSK levels: 2 in HSK 1, 3 in HSK 3, 2 in HSK 4, 1 in HSK 5, 1 in HSK 6, 3 in HSK 7-9. The largest concentration is at HSK 3 with 3 characters. Earlier HSK levels introduce the most common dagger-axe-related characters, while advanced levels add specialized or literary terms.

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).