辰
The 辰 radical
The Dragon branch; morning hour
Memory hook
Originally a shell blade used as a farm tool, later the fifth earthly branch and a marker of time: 时辰 (a double hour), 农 (agriculture — traditional 農).
The 辰 radical (read chén) means the dragon branch; morning hour. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 3 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 辰 radical
Practise the 2 characters carrying the 辰 radical in correct stroke order: watch, trace, then write from memory.
Characters with the 辰 radical
2 charactersHSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9辰
time; moment (usually a point in the day or a brief moment)
辱
disgrace, humiliation
Vocabulary with the 辰 radical
3 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 辰 radical, ordered by HSK level.
to insult, to humiliate
humiliation, disgrace
birthday, birth anniversary
At least 4 words are needed to practise.
Why learn vocabulary by the 辰 radical?
The 辰 radical hints at the meaning the dragon branch; morning hour. 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 3 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.