子
The 子 radical
Child
Memory hook
A newborn baby wrapped in a swaddle
The 子 radical (read zǐ) means child. The HSK 3.0 data contains 14 characters and 255 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 子 radical
Study this radical's 255 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 子 radical
14 charactersHSK 1· 4 characters
HSK 1子
son
字
character
学
to study; to learn
孩
child
HSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3存
to exist
HSK 4· 2 characters
HSK 4孙
grandchild (child of one's child)
季
season (of the year)
HSK 6· 1 characters
HSK 6孤
alone, solitary
HSK 7-9· 6 characters
HSK 7-9孔
hole
孕
to be pregnant
孝
filial, devoted to one's parents
孟
first, foremost
孪
twin
孵
to incubate (eggs) until they hatch
Vocabulary with the 子 radical
255 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 子 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (63/255 words of this radical).
to go to school
secondary school; middle school
secondary school student
son
steamed bun
classmate
name
university
university student
height; build
primary and secondary schools
example
sentence
dictionary
semester; term
to start school; to begin a new term
teaching
number; digit
to preserve; to keep
woman; female
children; sons and daughters
to exist
to exist; existence
tuition; tuition fees
room
script; writing system; characters
literature
winter
brush
medicine, medical science
leaf (of a plant)
summer
scholarship
wife
letter (of the alphabet)
granddaughter (son's daughter)
immediately
a lifetime, one's whole life
scissors
fork
bullet
savings
academic degree
major, field of study
scholar
to store, to stock up
to start school, to enroll
writing desk; desk
office building
to run a school, to manage a school
to advance to a higher level of schooling
philosophy
eager to learn, studious
orphan
comprehensive package, the whole lot
a married couple; couple (affectionate term)
seat, place
Confucian studies; the system of thought and doctrine of the Confucian school (Confucius and his disciples).
RAM, internal memory (computer)
stool, backless seat
To work one's way through school, working while studying (usually refers to students taking part-time jobs to cover tuition and living costs).
crossroads, intersection
hairpin, clip
Why learn vocabulary by the 子 radical?
The 子 radical hints at the meaning child. 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 14 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 255 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.