歹
The 歹 radical
Bare bones, evil
Variants: 歺
Memory hook
The skeleton left after the flesh is gone. Characters with it mean death and damage: 死 (to die), 残 (maimed), 歼 (to wipe out).
The 歹 radical (read dǎi) means bare bones, evil. The HSK 3.0 data contains 7 characters and 22 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 歹 radical
Study this radical's 22 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 歹 radical
7 charactersHSK 3· 1 characters
HSK 3死
to die; to pass away
HSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4殊
different, unusual
HSK 6· 2 characters
HSK 6残
cruel, ruthless
殖
to breed; to reproduce
HSK 7-9· 3 characters
HSK 7-9歹
bad; lousy
歼
to wipe out, to eliminate
殃
disaster, calamity
Vocabulary with the 歹 radical
22 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 歹 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (16/22 words of this radical).
to die; to pass away
special
death; to die
disability, disabled
disabled person
cruel, brutal
to reproduce, to breed, to multiply
injured and disabled; disabled (due to accident, war, etc.)
to farm, to raise (aquaculture, animals)
ferocious, brutal
in any case; no matter what; one way or another
huge disparity, great gap
scoundrel, villain, ruffian
to give up hope, to no longer have any wish
wholeheartedly, completely resigned or devoted
to annihilate, to wipe out
Why learn vocabulary by the 歹 radical?
The 歹 radical hints at the meaning bare bones, evil. 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 7 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 22 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.