身
The 身 radical
Body
Memory hook
A figure with a swollen belly, a pregnant woman — the original sense is the body itself: 身体 (body), 躺 (to lie down), 躲 (to hide).
The 身 radical (read shēn) means body. The HSK 3.0 data contains 5 characters and 41 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 身 radical
Study this radical's 41 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 身 radical
5 charactersHSK 1· 1 characters
HSK 1身
body
HSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4躺
to lie down, to lie on one's back
HSK 5· 1 characters
HSK 5躲
to hide, to take cover
HSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9躬
body, oneself
躯
body
Vocabulary with the 身 radical
41 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 身 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (25/41 words of this radical).
on one's body, on the body
body
the whole body; all over
at one's side; nearby
oneself; itself
identity card; ID card
to work out, to exercise
identity
figure, build
height (of a person)
to lie down, to lie on one's back
to turn around
all over (one's body)
lifelong, for one's whole life
to hide, to take cover
itself, in itself
in person, oneself
a person's body; personal (physical) safety
To lead by example, to set oneself as a model.
to come from, to be of (a certain) origin
Personal, directly related to oneself
to set out, to depart
incarnation, embodiment
single, unmarried
to throw oneself into, to devote oneself to
Why learn vocabulary by the 身 radical?
The 身 radical hints at the meaning body. 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 5 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 41 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.