耒
The 耒 radical
Wooden plough
Memory hook
A forked plough handle for breaking up soil — farming words carry it: 耕 (to plough), 耗 (to consume).
The 耒 radical (read lěi) means wooden plough. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 6 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 耒 radical
Study this radical's 6 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 耒 radical
2 charactersHSK 6· 1 characters
HSK 6耗
to consume, to cost
HSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9耕
to plow (a field)
Vocabulary with the 耒 radical
6 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 耒 radical, ordered by HSK level.
to consume; to use up; to waste
arable land, farmland
to consume; to use up
time-consuming
to consume; to waste; to expend
energy consumption, amount of energy consumed
Why learn vocabulary by the 耒 radical?
The 耒 radical hints at the meaning wooden plough. 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 2 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 6 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.