辛
The 辛 radical
Pungent, bitter, toilsome
Memory hook
Originally the blade that branded a convict — painful and bitter. Now it covers spicy heat and hardship: 辣 (spicy), 辛苦 (laborious).
The 辛 radical (read xīn) means pungent, bitter, toilsome. The HSK 3.0 data contains 8 characters and 33 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 辛 radical
Study this radical's 33 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 辛 radical
8 charactersHSK 4· 2 characters
HSK 4辣
spicy (the spiciness of chili, pepper, etc.)
辩
to argue, to debate
HSK 5· 2 characters
HSK 5辛
bitter, acrid
辞
word, speech
HSK 7-9· 4 characters
HSK 7-9辜
sin, guilt
辟
king, lord
辨
to distinguish; to tell apart
辫
braid; pigtail
Vocabulary with the 辛 radical
33 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 辛 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (15/33 words of this radical).
spicy (the spiciness of chili, pepper, etc.)
to debate, to argue
toilsome, arduous
dictionary
resignation
sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy
to leave without saying goodbye
to distinguish, to discern
to take leave, to bid farewell
to split heaven and open earth (since the dawn of creation)
to open up, to blaze (a trail)
to decline, to politely refuse
innocent, an innocent person
burning hot, scorching (usually describing a hot sensation on the skin)
to defend a thesis
Why learn vocabulary by the 辛 radical?
The 辛 radical hints at the meaning pungent, bitter, toilsome. 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 8 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 33 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.