steam

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originates from a pictograph depicting vapor, breath, or odor rising upward. In oracle-bone and ancient seal scripts, it was drawn as flowing or wavy strokes to represent the movement and diffusion of gaseous matter.

Mnemonic: Remember the steam radical as wavy wisps of vapor curling upward into the air.

• 气qì🔊

  gas; air

  HSK 2

  4 strokes

• 氕piē🔊

  protium 1H

  5 strokes

• 氖nǎi🔊

  neon (chemistry)

  6 strokes

• 氘dāo🔊

  deuterium 2H

  6 strokes