Learn Radicals

---
name: learn-radicals
description: The building blocks of kanji — learn radicals to unlock kanji
author: mager
version: 1.0.0
---

# Learn Radicals

Kanji aren't random squiggles — they're built from smaller pieces called radicals (部首, bushu). Learn ~50 radicals and suddenly kanji become puzzles you can decode instead of pictures you memorize.

## Why Radicals First?

The kanji 休 (rest) = 人 (person) + 木 (tree). A person leaning against a tree... resting. Once you see the pieces, you never forget it.

## The Essential 50 Radicals

### People & Body
| Radical | Meaning | Example Kanji |
|---------|---------|---------------|
| 人 / 亻 | person | 休 (rest), 体 (body) |
| 口 | mouth | 食 (eat), 言 (say) |
| 目 | eye | 見 (see), 睡 (sleep) |
| 手 / 扌 | hand | 持 (hold), 打 (hit) |
| 足 | foot/leg | 走 (run), 路 (road) |
| 心 / 忄 | heart/mind | 思 (think), 悲 (sad) |
| 耳 | ear | 聞 (hear), 聴 (listen) |
| 女 | woman | 好 (like), 姉 (sister) |

### Nature
| Radical | Meaning | Example Kanji |
|---------|---------|---------------|
| 日 | sun/day | 明 (bright), 時 (time) |
| 月 | moon/month | 朝 (morning), 期 (period) |
| 水 / 氵 | water | 海 (sea), 池 (pond) |
| 火 / 灬 | fire | 焼 (burn), 煮 (boil) |
| 木 | tree | 森 (forest), 本 (book) |
| 山 | mountain | 岩 (rock), 島 (island) |
| 土 | earth/soil | 地 (ground), 場 (place) |
| 金 / 釒 | metal/gold | 銀 (silver), 鉄 (iron) |
| 石 | stone | 砂 (sand), 研 (polish) |
| 雨 | rain | 雲 (cloud), 雪 (snow) |
| 花 / 艹 | grass/flower | 花 (flower), 草 (grass) |

### Structure & Concept
| Radical | Meaning | Example Kanji |
|---------|---------|---------------|
| 大 | big | 太 (thick), 天 (heaven) |
| 小 | small | 少 (few) |
| 上 | up | 止 (stop) |
| 下 | down | 不 (not) |
| 力 | power | 動 (move), 助 (help) |
| 刀 / 刂 | sword/knife | 切 (cut), 分 (divide) |
| 門 | gate | 間 (between), 開 (open) |
| 言 / 訁 | speech | 話 (talk), 読 (read) |
| 糸 / 糹 | thread | 紙 (paper), 絵 (picture) |
| 食 / 飠 | food/eat | 飲 (drink), 飯 (rice/meal) |
| 車 | vehicle | 転 (turn), 軽 (light) |
| 道 / 辶 | road/walk | 道 (path), 進 (advance) |

### Enclosures
| Radical | Meaning | Example Kanji |
|---------|---------|---------------|
| 囗 | enclosure | 国 (country), 園 (garden) |
| 宀 | roof | 家 (house), 安 (peace) |
| 广 | cliff/building | 店 (shop), 度 (degree) |

## How to Study

1. **5 radicals per session** — learn the meaning + 2 example kanji each
2. **Make stories** — 明 = sun + moon = "bright" (sun AND moon shining)
3. **Spot them in the wild** — when you see kanji, try to identify the radicals
4. **Build up** — once you know the radical, the kanji that use it become learnable

## Agent Behavior

- Introduce radicals in thematic groups (nature, body, concepts)
- Always show the radical → meaning → example kanji → story/mnemonic
- Quiz by showing a kanji and asking "what radicals do you see?"
- When introducing new kanji in later skills, reference the radicals: "Remember 水 (water)? That's the left side of 海 (sea)"
- Make the stories vivid and weird — weird = memorable