骨
The 骨 radical
Bone
Memory hook
A joint above and a piece of flesh 月 below — bone with meat still on it: 骨头 (bone), 骨折 (fracture), 髓 (marrow).
The 骨 radical (read gǔ) means bone. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 6 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 骨 radical
Study this radical's 6 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 骨 radical
2 charactersHSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4骨
bone
HSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9髓
marrow (the inner part of bone)
Vocabulary with the 骨 radical
6 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 骨 radical, ordered by HSK level.
bone
biting (cold), piercing to the bone
essence, quintessence
core; backbone; mainstay
bone fracture; to break a bone
moral integrity; backbone
Why learn vocabulary by the 骨 radical?
The 骨 radical hints at the meaning bone. 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 6 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.