缶
The 缶 radical
Earthen jar
Memory hook
A pot-bellied jar with a narrow mouth for wine or water. Seen in 罐 (jar), 缸 (vat), 缺 (lacking — a chipped jar).
The 缶 radical (read fǒu) means earthen jar. The HSK 3.0 data contains 3 characters and 16 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 缶 radical
Study this radical's 16 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 缶 radical
3 charactersHSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3缺
to lack; to be short of
HSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9缸
jar, vat, crock
罐
jar; can
Vocabulary with the 缶 radical
16 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 缶 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (14/16 words of this radical).
to lack; to be short of
to lack; to be short of
shortcoming; weakness; drawback
to lack
defect, flaw
can (for beverages, with a pull-tab lid)
to lack, be deficient
incomplete, defective
shortage, scarcity
in short supply, scarce
jar, vat, crock
gap; opening, breach
lacking, missing, deficient
to be absent, miss class/meeting
Why learn vocabulary by the 缶 radical?
The 缶 radical hints at the meaning earthen jar. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 3 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 16 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.