臣
The 臣 radical
Vassal, official
Memory hook
An eye turned on its side, the downcast gaze of someone bowing before a king — a subject: 大臣 (minister), 卧 (to lie down), 临 (to approach — traditional 臨).
The 臣 radical (read chén) means vassal, official. The HSK 3.0 data contains 1 characters and 2 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 臣 radical
Practise the 1 characters carrying the 臣 radical in correct stroke order: watch, trace, then write from memory.
Characters with the 臣 radical
1 charactersHSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9臣
subject; servant
Vocabulary with the 臣 radical
2 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 臣 radical, ordered by HSK level.
a meritorious figure, a person of great merit
minister, high official
At least 4 words are needed to practise.
Why learn vocabulary by the 臣 radical?
The 臣 radical hints at the meaning vassal, official. 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 1 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 2 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.