夂
The 夂 radical
A foot arriving, to follow
Memory hook
A downward-pointing foot, usually sitting on top of a character: 处 (place), 备 (to prepare) — both carry the sense of a foot coming to rest.
The 夂 radical (read zhǐ) means a foot arriving, to follow. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 51 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 夂 radical
Study this radical's 51 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 夂 radical
2 charactersHSK 1· 1 characters
HSK 1备
to prepare
HSK 2· 1 characters
HSK 2处
to reside, to dwell
Vocabulary with the 夂 radical
51 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 夂 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (35/51 words of this radical).
to prepare
everywhere; all over the place
disadvantage; harm; drawback
benefit; advantage
to handle; to deal with; to process
shortcoming; weak point
equipment; facilities
strength; strong point
to possess, to have
to reside, to dwell
to be in, to be situated in
to get along, to interact
discipline; punishment
to be in a state or position
punishment
depth
far, distant place
to provide, to equip
get ready, prepare
office, representative office
everywhere; all over
everywhere, in every place
division chief, department head
this place, here
usefulness, utility
equipment, weapons
residence, place to stay
where, what place
to reserve, to stockpile; reserve
to sentence, to pass judgment
place, destination
reserve, backup
car trunk, the luggage compartment at the back of a car
peaceful coexistence
situation, circumstances, plight
Why learn vocabulary by the 夂 radical?
The 夂 radical hints at the meaning a foot arriving, to follow. 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 51 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.