己
The 己 radical
Self, oneself
Variants: 已 巳
Memory hook
A knotted cord used to record one's own affairs. Tell the three lookalikes apart: 己 (self) is open, 已 (already) half closed, 巳 fully closed.
The 己 radical (read jǐ) means self, oneself. The HSK 3.0 data contains 4 characters and 17 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 己 radical
Study this radical's 17 words with flashcards or a quiz.
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Characters with the 己 radical
4 charactersHSK 2· 2 characters
HSK 2己
oneself
已
already (indicating a completed action)
HSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4巴
to long for, to yearn
HSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9巷
lane, alley
Vocabulary with the 己 radical
17 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 己 radical, ordered by HSK level.
already
oneself
already (indicating a completed action)
long ago; long since
mouth
coach, intercity bus
tail
bus
endlessly, continuously
to have no choice, to have no other way
the streets and alleys (meaning everywhere, all over the place)
to wish very much; to long for
To benefit oneself at others' expense
bosom friend; confidant; soulmate
that's all, nothing more
to praise endlessly, to extol without stopping
passive; unable to control oneself
Why learn vocabulary by the 己 radical?
The 己 radical hints at the meaning self, oneself. 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 4 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 17 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.