赤
The 赤 radical
Red; bare
Memory hook
A person 大 standing over fire 火 — skin glowing red; it also means bare or empty-handed: 赤字 (deficit), 赤脚 (barefoot).
The 赤 radical (read chì) means red; bare. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 4 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 赤 radical
Study this radical's 4 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 赤 radical
2 charactersHSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9赤
red
赫
brilliant, illustrious
Vocabulary with the 赤 radical
4 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 赤 radical, ordered by HSK level.
illustrious, eminent, of high status and great renown
financial deficit
clearly, conspicuously (often causing surprise or a strong impression)
flushed face and red ears; red in the face
Why learn vocabulary by the 赤 radical?
The 赤 radical hints at the meaning red; bare. 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 4 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.