手
The 手 radical
Hand
Variants: 扌
Memory hook
The shape of a hand with five fingers
The 手 radical (read shǒu) means hand. The HSK 3.0 data contains 185 characters and 886 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 手 radical
Study this radical's 886 words with flashcards or a quiz.
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Characters with the 手 radical
185 charactersThe free plan shows 9 characters per HSK level (59/185 characters of this radical).
HSK 1· 4 characters
HSK 1手
hand
打
to make (a phone call), to hit (a ball), etc.
找
to look for; to search
拿
to take, to hold, to grasp
HSK 2· 9 characters
HSK 2才
only just; not until
护
to protect, to guard
报
newspaper
拉
to pull; to drag
挺
to straighten; straight; upright
换
to change; to switch
掉
to fall; to drop
排
row; line
接
to receive; to pick up (someone)
HSK 3· 9 characters
HSK 3批
batch, lot
技
skill, technique
把
(marks the direct object that is acted upon)
抓
to grab; to grasp
拍
to clap; to pat
持
to hold, grasp
挂
to hang; to hang up
指
finger
按
to press; to push
HSK 4· 9 characters
HSK 4扩
to expand, to extend
扫
to sweep, to clean up
扬
to raise, to lift up
承
to inherit, to succeed to
抄
to copy, to transcribe
投
to throw, to toss
折
to break, to snap
抱
to hold, to carry (a child)
抽
to pull out, to draw out
HSK 5· 9 characters
HSK 5扔
to throw away
托
to entrust; to ask someone (to do a favor)
执
to hold, to grasp, to keep
扮
to disguise, to impersonate
扰
to bother, to annoy
扶
support
抢
to snatch, to grab, to rob
披
to drape over the shoulders
抬
to lift, to carry
HSK 6· 9 characters
HSK 6扎
to prick, to stick
扑
to pounce on, to throw oneself at
扣
to button, to fasten
扭
to twist, to turn
抗
to oppose, to resist
抵
to resist, to ward off
拐
to turn
拖
to drag; to delay
拨
to pluck, to flick
HSK 7-9· 9 characters
HSK 7-9扒
to peel; to strip off the skin
扛
to carry on one's shoulder, to shoulder
扯
to pull, to tug
扳
to flip; to switch (a switch or lever)
抑
to suppress, to restrain
抒
to express, to pour out (feelings)
抖
to tremble, to shake
抚
to caress, to soothe
抠
to dig, to pick, to scrape out
Other characters with the 手 radical
These appear inside HSK vocabulary but are not part of the 3,000-character single-character list.
Vocabulary with the 手 radical
886 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 手 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (63/886 words of this radical).
hand
mobile phone, cell phone
to make (a phone call), to hit (a ball), etc.
to open
to play ball
to make a phone call
to take a taxi
to look for; to search
to find; to locate
to raise one's hand
just now; a moment ago
wristwatch
only just; not until
to print
to work a part-time job
to plan; to intend
to find out; to discover
passport
to chair; to preside over; to host
talented person; talent
to spread; to disseminate
to protect
to maintain; to keep
to persist; to persevere
to arrange; to organize
opponent; rival
radio broadcast; broadcasting
secondhand, used
to exchange, to swap
gymnastics, calisthenics
to break up
to sway, to waver
to include
to bring into play, to display
to look for, to seek
gloves
basis, foundation
prerequisite, necessary condition
to get started, to take action
assistant, helper
both hands
to repay, to reciprocate
to bother, to annoy
genius, a person with innate talent
to entrust; to commission
both hands; two aspects
host, presenter
murderer; killer
singles, singles match
to occupy, to take possession of
to remove, to take away
doubles (match)
to resist, to revolt
to change, to alternate
skill, ability (in a craft)
A special skill or talent (that one possesses).
top leader, person in chief charge
comprehensive package, the whole lot
Stingy, miserly, unwilling to give anyone anything.
to report to a higher authority
to set to work, to begin
to throw away
to report, to inform on (wrongdoing)
Why learn vocabulary by the 手 radical?
The 手 radical hints at the meaning hand. 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 185 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 886 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.