龟
The 龟 radical
Tortoise, turtle
Variants: 龜
Memory hook
A tortoise in profile: head out, patterned shell, feet and tail below. Its shell is where the oracle-bone script was carved: 乌龟 (tortoise), 龟裂 (to crack).
The 龟 radical (read guī) means tortoise, turtle. The HSK 3.0 data contains 1 characters and 1 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 龟 radical
Practise the 1 characters carrying the 龟 radical in correct stroke order: watch, trace, then write from memory.
Characters with the 龟 radical
1 charactersHSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9龟
tortoise; turtle
Vocabulary with the 龟 radical
1 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 龟 radical, ordered by HSK level.
tortoise; turtle
At least 4 words are needed to practise.
Why learn vocabulary by the 龟 radical?
The 龟 radical hints at the meaning tortoise, turtle. 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 1 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 1 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.