鬼
The 鬼 radical
Ghost, spirit
Memory hook
An oddly large head on a human body with a curling tail. Characters with it all belong to the spirit world: 魂 (soul), 魔 (demon), 魅 (to bewitch).
The 鬼 radical (read guǐ) means ghost, spirit. The HSK 3.0 data contains 7 characters and 13 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 鬼 radical
Study this radical's 13 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 鬼 radical
7 charactersHSK 5· 1 characters
HSK 5鬼
ghost, spirit
HSK 7-9· 6 characters
HSK 7-9魁
chieftain, leader
魂
soul, spirit
魄
spirit, soul
魅
demon, seductive spirit
魏
the Wei dynasty (Three Kingdoms)
魔
demon, evil spirit
Vocabulary with the 鬼 radical
13 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 鬼 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (11/13 words of this radical).
alcoholic
ghost, spirit
to take first place, to win the top spot
Soul-stirring, deeply moving; extremely dramatic or suspenseful.
to be mischievous, to cause trouble, to make a fuss
bearing, mettle, courage
soul, spirit
the ringleader who causes a crime or disaster
soul, spirit
boldness, drive, daring resolve
charm, allure
Why learn vocabulary by the 鬼 radical?
The 鬼 radical hints at the meaning ghost, spirit. 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 7 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 13 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.