支
The 支 radical
Branch, to support
Memory hook
The hand 又 holding a bamboo branch — first 'branch', then 'to prop up, to pay out': 支持 (to support), 支付 (to pay).
The 支 radical (read zhī) means branch, to support. The HSK 3.0 data contains 1 characters and 13 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 支 radical
Study this radical's 13 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 支 radical
1 charactersHSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3支
to prop up; to support
Vocabulary with the 支 radical
13 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 支 radical, ordered by HSK level.
to prop up; to support
to pay
to support; to back
expenditure, expense
to control, to dominate
to provide support, to reinforce
to support, to prop up
branch, division
expenditure, spending
pillar, mainstay
check (finance)
revenue and expenditure, income and expenses
to overdraw beyond the account balance (credit card, bank account)
Why learn vocabulary by the 支 radical?
The 支 radical hints at the meaning branch, to support. 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 1 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 13 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.