干
The 干 radical
Shield, dry
Memory hook
A forked pole used to fend off blows — originally 'to offend, to shield'; today it also means dry: 干净 (clean), 年 (year).
The 干 radical (read gān) means shield, dry. The HSK 3.0 data contains 5 characters and 123 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 干 radical
Study this radical's 123 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 干 radical
5 charactersHSK 1· 2 characters
HSK 1干
dry
年
year
HSK 2· 1 characters
HSK 2平
flat; level
HSK 3· 2 characters
HSK 3并
and; together with
幸
lucky, fortunate
Vocabulary with the 干 radical
123 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 干 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (60/123 words of this radical).
this year
half a year, six months
last year
dry
to do; to work
to do what
clean
year
New Year
have a safe trip; bon voyage
middle age
the whole year; all year round
fair
the year before last
anniversary (measure word for years)
boy; juvenile
to drink a toast; bottoms up
to work; to do manual labor
the year after next
peace
what are you doing?; what for? (asking about reason or purpose)
decade; era; age
beginning of the year
end of the year
age
and; together with
and; moreover
many years
academic year, school year
average
square (area)
stable, steady
calm, still
childhood
capable, competent
unfortunate, unlucky
to merge, to amalgamate
to interfere, to disrupt
straightforward, direct
to intervene
plain
flat, level, smooth
before the Lunar New Year
year (used for cycles)
all year round, throughout the year
to interfere
ordinary, commonplace
platform
square meter
balance
previous years; years past
spotlessly clean, with nothing left
all year round, year-round
indignant, unconvinced, dissatisfied
the same year (referring to events occurring in the same year)
peaceful coexistence
carnival, festival of revelry
over the years, for many years
scale, balance (measuring instrument)
peaceful, at peace, tranquil
Why learn vocabulary by the 干 radical?
The 干 radical hints at the meaning shield, dry. 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 5 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 123 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.