曰
The 曰 radical
To say, thus spoke
Memory hook
A mouth 口 with a stroke inside for the breath escaping as one speaks. It looks much like 日 (sun) but 曰 is flatter and wider — worth noting to avoid mixing them up.
The 曰 radical (read yuē) means to say, thus spoke. The HSK 3.0 data contains 6 characters and 31 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 曰 radical
Study this radical's 31 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 曰 radical
6 charactersHSK 2· 1 characters
HSK 2更
more
HSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3曾
once, formerly, in the past
HSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4替
to replace, to do on behalf of
HSK 5· 1 characters
HSK 5曲
curved, bent
HSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9曰
to say, to state (used in formal, classical speech and writing)
曹
group; crowd; bunch (usually referring to a group of people)
Vocabulary with the 曰 radical
31 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 曰 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (25/31 words of this radical).
more
even more; still more
once; formerly
to replace, to substitute for
once, formerly, in the past
to replace, to do on behalf of
to replace, to take the place of
never before
to replace, to change
to update, to renew
song
musical piece
to change, to amend
to bend; winding; curved
Chinese opera
even more, all the more
to alternate, to take turns
to seem to have met before
little tune, short song, ditty
to distort, to twist
to take over, to replace
to say, to state (used in formal, classical speech and writing)
song, musical piece
winding, tortuous; (figurative) complicated, arduous
curve
Why learn vocabulary by the 曰 radical?
The 曰 radical hints at the meaning to say, thus spoke. 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 6 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 31 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.