noun HSK 5
radical · component of a Chinese character
Meaning
偏旁 refers to the component parts or radicals that make up Chinese characters. In traditional Chinese linguistics, it distinguishes between components on the left/right (偏) and top/bottom (旁), though in modern usage it broadly means any structural component or radical of a character.
Usage
This term is commonly used in Chinese language education when teaching character structure and composition. Teachers and students use it when analyzing how characters are built. In everyday conversation, it's mainly used in educational contexts rather than casual speech.
Examples
- 01这个汉字的偏旁是三点水。.The radical of this character is the three-dot water radical.
- 02学习偏旁可以帮助你记住更多汉字。.Learning radicals can help you remember more Chinese characters.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个偏旁
Common collocations
- 偏旁部首radicals and components
- 左偏旁left-side radical
- 右偏旁right-side radical
Origin
The term literally means 'side parts,' reflecting the traditional categorization of character components by their position within a character.