scholar

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originates from a pictograph in oracle-bone script depicting a man or noble figure. It was later simplified into three horizontal strokes and one vertical stroke in the center, symbolizing an educated person.

Mnemonic: Three stacked horizontal strokes resemble layers of knowledge piled upon an educated scholar.

• 士shì🔊

  member of the senior ministerial class (old)

  3 strokes

• 壬rén🔊

  ninth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1]

  4 strokes

• 壮zhuàng🔊

  to strengthen

  HSK 7

  6 strokes

• 声shēng🔊

  sound

  HSK 5

  7 strokes

• 壳ké🔊

  (coll.) shell (of an egg, nut, crab etc)

  HSK 7

  7 strokes

• 壴zhù🔊

  (archaic) drum

  9 strokes

• 壶hú🔊

  pot

  HSK 6

  10 strokes

• 壸kǔn🔊

  palace corridor

  11 strokes

• 壹yī🔊

  one (banker's anti-fraud numeral)

  12 strokes

• 寿shòu🔊

  long life

  14 strokes

• 夀shòu🔊

  old variant of 壽|寿[shou4]

  14 strokes

• 壿cún🔊

  old variant of 蹲[cun2]

  15 strokes