罒

Net Radical (罒)

wǎng · 5 strokes · Full form: 网

The net radical (罒) is a radical found in Chinese. It appears in 10 characters related to net and associated concepts. The standalone character form is 网 (5 strokes); the component form 罒 is used inside compound characters. 10 characters: 1 in HSK 2, 2 in HSK 5, 2 in HSK 6, 5 in HSK 7-9. Radical classifications follow the Kangxi radical system. Character data is based on the HSK 3.0 Standard (CLEC 2022 syllabus).

Radical vs. Component: 罒 is also a character component. As a radical, it classifies characters in dictionaries. As a component, it appears as a building block contributing meaning, sound, or structure. For component-specific details including role analysis and position patterns, see the Net Component (罒) page.

Net Radical at a Glance

Stroke Count5 (罒)
Total Characters10
Most Common HSK LevelHSK 7-9 (5 characters)
Avg. Character Strokes10
Standalone Form网 (wǎng)
ClassificationKangxi Radicals

All Net Radical Characters

HSK 2 (1 characters)

网wǎngnet

HSK 5 (2 characters)

置zhìto install罚fáto punish

HSK 6 (2 characters)

罪zuìguilt罕hǎnrare

HSK 7-9 (5 characters)

罗luógauze罢bàto stop署shǔoffice罩zhàoto cover啰luōused in 囉唆|啰唆[luo1 suo5] and 囉嗦|啰嗦[luo1 suo5]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the net radical mean in Chinese characters?
The net radical (罒) signals a semantic connection to net-related concepts. When you see 罒 in a character, it typically indicates the character's meaning involves net or associated ideas. It appears in 10 characters in the HSK character set. Radical classifications follow the Kangxi radical system, the traditional standard for organizing Chinese characters.
How many characters use the net radical?
There are 10 characters with the net radical (罒) in the HSK 3.0 character set (CLEC 2022 syllabus): 1 in HSK 2, 2 in HSK 5, 2 in HSK 6, 5 in HSK 7-9. The distribution across HSK levels reflects how fundamental net-related concepts are at each stage of Mandarin learning.
What is the difference between 罒 and 网?
网 is the standalone character form (wǎng, meaning "net"), while 罒 is the simplified radical form used as a component inside other characters. When writing characters that contain the net radical, you write 罒 rather than the full form 网. Both forms represent the same radical — the component form 罒 is adapted for compact positioning within a character's structure.
What are the most common net radical characters?
By frequency of use, the most common characters with the net radical (罒) are: 罗 (luó, "gauze"), 网 (wǎng, "net"), 置 (zhì, "to install"), 罪 (zuì, "guilt"), 罚 (fá, "to punish"). These high-frequency characters are among the first net-related characters most learners encounter.
What HSK levels include net radical characters?
Characters with the net radical (罒) appear across 4 HSK levels: 1 in HSK 2, 2 in HSK 5, 2 in HSK 6, 5 in HSK 7-9. The largest concentration is at HSK 7-9 with 5 characters. Earlier HSK levels introduce the most common net-related characters, while advanced levels add specialized or literary terms.

Sources & Standards

Radical classifications on this page follow the Kangxi radical system (康熙部首), the standard set of 214 radicals codified in the Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典, 1716). Character data is based on 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.