japanese radicals

This is adapted from Kanji Alive "The 214 traditional kanji radicals and their variants".

But, this page only includes the 154 of the Kanji that are supported by Unicode

The jōyō kanji (常用漢字, regular-use kanji), consisting of 2,136 characters, include all the Kyōiku kanji and an additional 1,110 kanji taught in junior high and high school. Characters outside this category often have furigana in publishing. The jōyō kanji replaced the tōyō kanji, a list of 1,850 characters introduced in 1946. Initially, the jōyō kanji list had 1,945 characters but was expanded to 2,136 in 2010.

[...] Kanji, with their numerous symbols, are typically sorted using the traditional Chinese radical-and-stroke method. This method involves identifying common components known as radicals and grouping characters by their primary radical. Characters are then ordered based on the number of pen strokes within each radical. For instance, the kanji character 桜 meaning "cherry" is classified as a ten-stroke character under the primary radical 木 meaning "tree," which consists of four strokes. When there is no clear radical or multiple radicals, conventions determine the sorting approach.

(paraphrased from Wikipedia)


Beyond Wikipedia, Kanji Alive provides a more Japanese-oriented explanation of radicals.

Each kanji has a single radical (部首, ぶしゅ) that imparts its meaning(s) to the kanji. For example, the kanji 時 has the radical 日 (sun, day, time) and means "time." Similarly, 詩 has the radical 言 (words, to speak, say) and means "poetry, poem," while 持 has the radical 扌(hand) and means "to hold." Understanding the radical and its meaning(s) is crucial when learning kanji. Although not all 214 radicals are commonly used in modern Japanese, you will become familiar with the most important ones and their variations. There are no official Japanese names for radicals, but there are commonly used names that may vary across different websites and dictionaries.

(paraphrased from Kanji Alive)


Stroke#RadicalPositionMeaningReadingNotesImportance
1⼀one, horizontal strokeいち
1⼁vertical strokeたてぼう
1⼂dotてん
1⼃diagonal sweeping strokeの
1⼄the secondおつ
1⺃the secondおつa variant of ⼄（おつ）
1⼅vertical stroke with a hookはねぼう
2⼆twoに
2⼇かんむり Radical on the toplid, topなべぶたImportant
2⼈personひと
2⺅へん Radical on the leftpersonにんべんa variant of ⼈（ひと） Important
2𠆢かんむり Radical on the toppersonひとやねa variant of ⼈（ひと） Important
2⼉あし Radical on the bottomhuman legsひとあしImportant
2⼊to enterいる
2⼋eightはち
2⼌けいがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjito encloseけいがまえ
2⼍かんむり Radical on the topcover, crownわかんむりImportant
2⼎へん Radical on the lefticeにすい
2⼏つくり Radical on the righttableきにょう
2⺇かんむり Radical on the topwindかぜかんむりa variant of ⼏（きにょう）
2⼐にょう Radical which wraps around the bottomcontainer, open boxかんにょう
2⼑knife, swordかたな
2⺉つくり Radical on the rightknife, swordりっとうa variant of ⼑（かたな） Important
2⼒powerちから
2⼓つつみがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjito wrapつつみがまえ
2⼔つくり Radical on the rightspoonさじ
2⼕はこがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjiboxはこがまえ
2⼖はこがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjito conceal, hideかくしがまえ
2⼗tenじゅう
2⼘oracleぼく
2⼙つくり Radical on the rightstamp, sealふしづくり
2⼚たれ Radical which ‘hangs down’cliffがんだれImportant
2⼛private, Katakana Muむ
2⼜again, right handまた
3⼝mouthくち
3⼞くにがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjiborder, territorial boundariesくにがまえImportant
3⼟earthつち
3⼠man, scholar, samuraiさむらい
3⼡to followのまた
3⼢あし Radical on the bottomto go slowlyなつあし
3⼣eveningゆうべ
3⼤large, bigだい
3⼥womanおんな
3⼦child, sonこ
3⼧かんむり Radical on the toproof, houseうかんむりImportant
3⼨inch, (2.25 cm)すん
3⼩smallしょう
3⺌かんむり Radical on the topsmallしょうかんむりa variant of ⼩（しょう）
3⺐つくり Radical on the rightlame legだいのまげあし
3⼫たれ Radical which ‘hangs down’corpse, awningしかばね
3⼬sproutくさのめ
3⼭mountainやま
3⼮winding riverまがりがわ
3川riverさんぼんがわa variant of ⼮（まがりがわ）
3⼯work, carpenter, skillたくみ
3⼰selfおのれ
3⼱clothはば
3⼲to dry, shieldかん
3⺓young, slightいとがしら
3⼴たれ Radical which ‘hangs down’slanting roofまだれImportant
3⼵にょう Radical which wraps around the bottomto move, stretchえんにょう
3⼶あし Radical on the bottomfolded handsにじゅうあし
3⼷javelinいぐるみ
3⼸bow （in archery）ゆみ
3⼹pig’s headけいがしら
3⺕pig’s headけいがしらa variant of ⼹（けいがしら）
3⺔pig’s headけいがしらa variant of ⼹（けいがしら）
3⼺つくり Radical on the righthair-style, light raysさんづくり
3⼻へん Radical on the leftstep, stride, street, to goぎょうにんべんImportant
3⺾かんむり Radical on the topgrassくさかんむりa variant of ⾋（くさ） Important
3⻌にょう Radical which wraps around the bottomroad, walk, to advanceしんにょうa variant of ⾡（しんにょう） Important
3⻏つくり Radical on the rightvillage, country, cityおおざとa variant of ⾢（むら） Important
3⻖へん Radical on the lefthill, moundこざとへんa variant of ⾩（こざと） Important
3⺍かんむり Radical on the topKatakana Tsuつ
3⺖へん Radical on the leftheart, mind, spiritりっしんべんa variant of ⼼（こころ） Important
3⺘へん Radical on the lefthandてへんa variant of ⼿（て） Important
3⺡へん Radical on the leftwaterさんずいa variant of ⽔（みず） Important
3⺨へん Radical on the leftbeastけものへんa variant of ⽝（いぬ） Important
4⼼heart, mind, spiritこころ
4⺗あし Radical on the bottomheart, mind, spiritしたごころa variant of ⼼（こころ）
4⼽spear, weaponほこ
4⼾doorと
4⼿handて
4⽀branchしにょう
4⽁つくり Radical on the rightactivity, to strike, hitぼくづくり
4⺙つくり Radical on the rightactivity, to strike, hitぼくづくりa variant of ⽁（ぼくづくり） Important
4⽂literature, lettersぶん
4⽃つくり Radical on the rightbig dipper, ladle, 18 litersますづくり
4⽄つくり Radical on the rightaxeおのづくり
4⽅direction, flagほう
4⽆notむにょう
4⽇sun, day, timeひ
4⽈to sayひらび
4⽉moon, month, periodつき
4⺝へん Radical on the leftmoon, month, periodつきへんa variant of ⽉（つき）
4⽊tree, woodき
4⽋to lack, yawnあくび
4⽌to stopとめる
4⽍death &dying, to decomposeがつ
4⽎つくり Radical on the rightlance shaft, actionるまた
4⽏not, motherなかれ
4⽐to compareくらべる
4⽑hairけ
4⽒family, clanうじ
4⽓きがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjisteam, airきがまえ
4⽔waterみず
4⽕fireひ
4⺣あし Radical on the bottomfireれっかa variant of ⽕（ひ） Important
4⽖claw, nailつめ
4⺤かんむり Radical on the topclaw, nailつめかんむりa variant of ⽖（つめ）
4爫かんむり Radical on the topclaw, nailつめかんむりa variant of ⽖（つめ）
4⽗fatherちち
4⽘to mixこう
4⽙へん Radical on the leftsplit woodしょうへん
4⽚split woodかた
4へん Radical on the leftsplit woodかたへんa variant of ⽚（かた）
4⽜cowうし
4⽝dogいぬ
4⺭へん Radical on the leftaltar, festival, religious serviceしめすへんa variant of ⽰（しめす） Important
4㓁netあみがしらa variant of ⽹（あみ）
4⺹かんむり Radical on the topold, old-ageおいかんむりa variant of ⽼（おいかんむり）
5⽞darknessげん
5⽟jewelryたま
5⽡tileかわら
5⽢sweetあまい
5⽣birth, to be born, liveうまれる
5⽤to useもちいる
5⽥rice paddyた
5⽦bolt of clothひき
5⺪へん Radical on the leftbolt of clothひきへんa variant of ⽦（ひき）
5⽧たれ Radical which ‘hangs down’sicknessやまいだれImportant
5⽨かんむり Radical on the topoutspread legs, departureはつがしら
5⽩whiteしろ
5⽪skin, hideけがわ
5⽫plate, bowlさら
5⽬eyeめ
5⽭halberdほこ
5⽮arrowや
5⽯stoneいし
5⽰altar, festival, religious serviceしめす
5⽱footprintじゅうのあし
5⽲へん Radical on the leftgrainのぎへんImportant
5⽳hole, caveあな
5⽴to standたつ
5氺waterしたみずa variant of ⽔（みず）
5⺫かんむり Radical on the topnetあみがしらa variant of ⽹（あみ）
5𦉰netあみがしらa variant of ⽹（あみ）
5⻂へん Radical on the leftclothingころもへんa variant of ⾐（ころも） Important
5⺛notむにょうa variant of ⽆（むにょう）
6⽵bambooたけ
6⺮かんむり Radical on the topbambooたけかんむりa variant of ⽵（たけ） Important
6⽶riceこめ
6⽷threadいと
6⽸earthen jarみずがめ
6⽹netあみめ
6⽺sheepひつじ
6⺷sheepひつじa variant of ⽺（ひつじ）
6羽feather, wingはね
6⽻feather, wingはねa variant of 羽（はね）
6⽼old, old-ageおいかんむり
6⽽and alsoしこうして
6⽾へん Radical on the leftplowらいすき
6⽿earみみ
6⾀writing brushふでづくり
6⾁flesh, meatにく
6⾂retainer, ministerしん
6⾃selfみずから
6⾄to arrive, reachいたる
6⾅mortar, quernうす
6⾆tongueした
6⾇contrary, to errまいあし
6⾈ship, boatふね
6⾉boundaryこん
6⾊colorいろ
6⾋grass, plantくさ
6⾌かんむり Radical on the toptigerとらがしら
6⾍worm, insect, bugむし
6⾎bloodち
6⾏ぎょうがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjito goぎょうがまえImportant
6⾐clothingころも
6⾑cover, westにし
6⻃cover, westにしa variant of ⾑（にし）
6⽠melonうりa variant of ⽠（うり）
7⾒to seeみる
7⾓horn, cornerつの
7⾔words, to speak, sayげん
7⾕valleyたに
7⾖beanまめ
7⾗pigいのこ
7⾘へん Radical on the leftbadgerむじなへん
7⾙shell, property, wealthかい
7⾚redあか
7⾛to runはしる
7⾜foot, legあし
7⻊へん Radical on the leftfoot, legあしへんa variant of ⾜（あし） Important
7⾝bodyみ
7⾞vehicle, wheel, carくるま
7⾟bitterからい
7⾠Fifth zodiac sign, 7–9 A.M.しんのたつ
7⾡to advance, move aheadしんにょう
7⾢communityむら
7⾣sake jar, birdひよみのとり
7⾤to separateのごめ
7⾥village, (3.93 km)さと
7⾂retainer, ministerしんa variant of ⾂（しん）
7⻨wheatむぎa variant of ⿆（むぎ）
8⾦metal, gold, mineralかね
8⻑longながい
8⾨もんがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjigate, doorもんがまえImportant
8⾩hillこざと
8⾪つくり Radical on the rightto captureれいづくり
8⾫small birdふるとり
8⾬rainあめ
8⻗かんむり Radical on the toprainあめかんむりa variant of ⾬（あめ） Important
8⾭blue, greenあお
8⻘blue, greenあおa variant of ⾭（あお）
8⾮wrong, non-あらず
8⻟へん Radical on the leftfood, to eatしょくへんa variant of ⾷（しょく）
8⻫alikeせいa variant of ⿑（せい）
9⾯face, surfaceめん
9⾰leatherつくりがわ
9⾲leekにら
9⾳sound, noiseおと
9⾴つくり Radical on the righthead, pageおおがいImportant
9⾵windかぜ
9⾶to flyとぶ
9⾷food, to eatしょく
9⾸headくび
9⾹scentかおり
10⾺horseうま
10⾻boneほね
10⾼highたかい
10⾽かんむり Radical on the toplong hairかみかんむり
10⾾もんがまえ Radical which encloses the kanjifightingたたかいがまえ
10⾿herbsにおいざけ
10⿀tripodれき
10⿁demonおに
11⿂fishうお
11⿃birdとり
11⿄saltしお
11⿅deerしか
11⿆wheatむぎ
11⿇hempあさ
11⻩yellowきa variant of ⿈（き）
11黒blackくろa variant of ⿊（くろ）
11⻲turtleかめa variant of ⿔（かめ）
12⿈yellowき
12⿉milletきび
12⿊blackくろ
12⿋embroiderぬいとり
12⻭toothはa variant of ⿒（は）
13⿌frogかえる
13⿍tripodかなえ
13⿎drumつづみ
13⿏rat, mouseねずみ
14⿐noseはな
14⿑alikeせい
15⿒toothは
16⿓dragonりゅう
16⿔turtleかめ
17⿕fluteやく