say

Origin & mnemonic

This radical derives from a pictograph in oracle-bone script depicting an open mouth emitting speech. The original form was a rectangle with a horizontal stroke through the center, symbolizing the mouth.

Mnemonic: A rectangular frame divided by a horizontal line, like an open mouth ready to speak.

• 曹cáo🔊

  class or grade

  11 strokes

• 最zuì🔊

  HSK 1

  12 strokes

• 曾céng🔊

  once

  HSK 4

  12 strokes

• 替tì🔊

  to substitute for

  HSK 4

  12 strokes

• 朁cǎn🔊

  if, supposing, nevertheless

  12 strokes

• 会huì🔊

  HSK 1

  13 strokes

• 朅qiè🔊

  to leave

  14 strokes

• 朆fēn🔊

  not yet (Wu dialect)

  16 strokes