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Key Radicals and Essential Characters — Hanja Level 4 in Three Days, Step 1

📅
Before We Begin
Radicals
Key Radicals for Step 1
40 Essential Characters for Step 1
Day 1 Wrap-Up and Review Quiz

Before We Begin 🔗

My university requires students to pass the Hanja Level 4 exam to graduate. Our goal is to
pass Level 4 as quickly as possible
. With so little time, focus on the material most likely to appear on the exam. On Day 1 we'll learn the
key radicals
that make Hanja easier to study and memorize the
essential characters that come up most often
.

Radicals (部首) 🔗

A radical is a key component that often points to a character's meaning. Think of it as a building's foundation or a car's engine. Many characters combine these components, so recognizing them can help you guess what an unfamiliar character means. For Level 4, learn the common radicals first. A radical can appear on the left, right, top, or bottom, wrap around the lower left, or surround the character.

Key Radicals for Step 1 🔗

Start with these common radicals. Picture how each combines with other components to suggest a meaning.
  • 人 (亻), in, person
    Relates to people. For 休 (hyu, rest), picture a person leaning against a tree (木).
  • 水 (氵), su, water
    Relates to water. For 江 (gang, river), picture water (氵) flowing past 工.
  • 木, mok, tree
    Relates to trees. 林 (rim, grove) puts two trees (木) together.
  • 口, gu, mouth
    Relates to mouths, speech, eating, or openings. For 味 (mi, taste), combine 口 (mouth) and 未 (not yet) and imagine food you haven't tasted yet.
  • 手 (扌), su, hand
    Relates to hands and their movements. For 打 (ta, strike), imagine a hand (扌) striking a nail (丁).
  • 心 (忄), sim, heart
    Relates to the mind, thoughts, and feelings. For 情 (jeong, affection), combine 靑 (blue-green) and 忄 (heart) and picture a clear, warm feeling.
  • 日, il, day
    Relates to the sun, days, time, and brightness. 明 (myeong, bright) combines the sun (日) and moon (月).
  • 火 (灬), hwa, fire
    Relates to fire, heat, and light. In 災 (jae, disaster), imagine a stream (川) and a fire (火) causing a disaster.
  • 土, to, earth
    Relates to earth and land. 地 (ji, ground) combines 土 (earth) and 也, a particle.
  • 言, eon, speech
    Relates to speech, language, and opinions. In 語 (eo, language), combine 吾 (I) and 言 (speech) and think of the words I speak.
  • 艸 (艹), cho, grass
    Relates to grass and plants. In 花 (hwa, flower), picture grass (艹) transforming (化) into a flower.
  • 山, san, mountain
    Relates to mountains and mountainous terrain. In 岳 (ak, high mountain), picture 丘 (hill) over 山 (mountain).

40 Essential Characters for Step 1 🔗

Now let's look at basic characters that use those radicals or are important in their own right. Connect each character's
shape, meaning, and Korean reading
. The example words show how the characters are used and help them stick. These are common Level 4 characters, but check the official character list for your exam provider.
[Basic numbers and directions]
  1. 一 (il, one)
    • Meanings: one, first, only.
    • Radical: 一 itself.
    • Examples: 一石二鳥 (two birds with one stone), 唯一 (sole), 同一 (identical).
    • Memory aid: one horizontal stroke.
  2. 二 (i, two)
    • Meanings: two, second.
    • Radical: 二 itself.
    • Examples: 二重 (double), 十中八九 (nine times out of ten). The latter doesn't contain 二, but it helps you think about counting.
    • Memory aid: two horizontal strokes.
  3. 三 (sam, three)
    • Meanings: three, third, often.
    • Radical: 一 (one).
    • Examples: 三三五五 (in small groups), 三人成虎 (three people can make a rumor seem true).
    • Memory aid: three horizontal strokes.
  4. 四 (sa, four)
    • Meaning: four.
    • Radical: 囗 (enclosure).
    • Examples: 四方 (four directions), 四季 (four seasons), 四面楚歌 (surrounded by enemies).
    • Memory aid: picture a person's limbs (儿) inside a box (囗).
  5. 五 (o, five)
    • Meaning: five.
    • Radical: 二 (two).
    • Examples: 五感 (five senses), 五穀 (five grains), 五體滿足 (having all four limbs and the head intact).
    • Memory aid: picture things crossing (乂) between heaven (一) and earth (一).
  6. 六 (yuk or ryuk, six)
    • Meaning: six.
    • Radical: 八 (eight).
    • Examples: 六感 (sixth sense), 六法全書 (compendium of six legal codes).
    • Memory aid: 亠 sits over 八. Picture a roof above a pair of legs.
  7. 七 (chil, seven)
    • Meaning: seven.
    • Radical: 一 (one).
    • Examples: 七去之惡 (seven traditional grounds for divorce), 七轉八起 (fall seven times, rise eight).
    • Memory aid: picture 十 with the lower end cut off, or a knife cutting something.
  8. 八 (pal, eight)
    • Meanings: eight, divide.
    • Radical: 八 itself.
    • Examples: 八方美人 (versatile person), 八道江山 (the land of Korea's eight provinces).
    • Memory aid: picture something splitting in two.
  9. 九 (gu, nine)
    • Meanings: nine, many.
    • Radical: 乙 (second Heavenly Stem).
    • Examples: 九死一生 (a narrow escape from death), 九牛一毛 (a tiny fraction).
    • Memory aid: picture a bent elbow or a dragon flicking its tail as it rises.
  10. 十 (sip, ten)
    • Meanings: ten, all.
    • Radical: 十 itself.
    • Examples: 十字路 (crossroads), the saying that even mountains and rivers change in ten years (十年).
    • Memory aid: it points in four directions.
  11. 百 (baek, hundred)
    • Meanings: one hundred, many.
    • Radical: 白 (white).
    • Examples: 百貨店 (department store), 百年大計 (long-term plan).
    • Memory aid: put 一 above 白 and use “one white thing” as a cue for “one hundred.”
  12. 千 (cheon, thousand)
    • Meanings: one thousand, many.
    • Radical: 十 (ten).
    • Examples: 千里眼 (far-seeing eyes), 千載一遇 (once-in-a-lifetime opportunity).
    • Memory aid: think of adding 一 to 人 to suggest many people, or adding a slanted stroke above 十 as a cue for a much larger number.
  13. 上 (sang, above)
    • Meanings: above, previous, rise.
    • Radical: 一 (one).
    • Examples: 上下 (above and below), 地上 (above ground), 以上 (at least).
    • Memory aid: the mark resembling 卜 sits above the baseline.
  14. 下 (ha, below)
    • Meanings: below, next, descend.
    • Radical: 一 (one).
    • Examples: 下水道 (sewer), 地下 (underground), 以下 (at most).
    • Memory aid: the mark resembling 卜 sits below the baseline.
  15. 中 (jung, middle)
    • Meanings: middle, inside, hit.
    • Radical: 丨 (vertical stroke).
    • Examples: 中央 (center), 中間 (middle), 的中 (hitting the mark).
    • Memory aid: an arrow (丨) goes through the middle of a target (口).
  16. 外 (oe, outside)
    • Meanings: outside, foreign.
    • Radical: 夕 (evening).
    • Examples: 外部 (exterior), 外國 (foreign country), 意外 (unexpected).
    • Memory aid: picture going outside in the evening (夕) to tell fortunes (卜).
  17. 內 (nae, inside)
    • Meanings: inside, within, wife.
    • Radical: 入 (enter).
    • Examples: 內部 (interior), 國內 (domestic), 內助之功 (a spouse's contribution through support at home).
    • Memory aid: 入 goes inside 冂.
  18. 前 (jeon, front)
    • Meanings: in front, before.
    • Radical: 刂 (knife on the right).
    • Examples: 前後 (before and after), 午前 (morning), 空前絶後 (unprecedented and unmatched).
    • Memory aid: imagine a boat, suggested by a shortened 舟, moving forward through water with a blade (刂).
  19. 後 (hu, behind)
    • Meanings: behind, afterward, descendants.
    • Radical: 彳 (step).
    • Examples: 後方 (rear), 午後 (afternoon), 後悔 (regret).
    • Memory aid: picture falling behind on a road (彳) because a foot (夂) is tied (幺).
  20. 左 (jwa, left)
    • Meaning: left.
    • Radical: 工 (work or craft).
    • Examples: 左右 (left and right), 左側 (left side).
    • Memory aid: picture a left hand shaped like ナ holding a tool (工).
  21. 右 (u, right)
    • Meanings: right, help.
    • Radical: 口 (mouth).
    • Examples: 左右 (left and right), 右側 (right side), 右翼 (right wing).
    • Memory aid: imagine the right hand, like 又, bringing food to the mouth (口).
[People and family]
  1. 人 (in, person)
    • Meaning: person.
    • Radical: 人 itself.
    • Examples: 人間 (human), 人事 (greetings or personnel matters), 人山人海 (a huge crowd).
    • Memory aid: picture a standing person viewed from the side, as in the radical section.
  2. 父 (bu, father)
    • Meaning: father.
    • Radical: 父 itself.
    • Examples: 父母 (parents), 父子 (father and son), 祖父 (grandfather).
    • Memory aid: picture a stern father holding a switch or axe (乂).
  3. 母 (mo, mother)
    • Meaning: mother.
    • Radical: 母 itself.
    • Examples: 父母 (parents), 母子 (mother and child), 賢母良妻 (wise mother and good wife).
    • Memory aid: picture a mother nursing a baby. The two dots depict the breasts.
  4. 子 (ja, child)
    • Meanings: son, child, person, fruit.
    • Radical: 子 itself.
    • Examples: 子女 (children), 王子 (prince), 弟子 (disciple), 菓子 (sweets).
    • Memory aid: picture a small child with arms spread.
  5. 女 (nyeo or yeo, woman)
    • Meanings: woman, daughter.
    • Radical: 女 itself.
    • Examples: 男女 (men and women), 少女 (girl), 女性 (woman or female).
    • Memory aid: picture a woman sitting on her knees.
  6. 男 (nam, man)
    • Meanings: man, male, son.
    • Components: 田 (field) and 力 (strength).
    • Examples: 男女 (men and women), 長男 (eldest son), 男性 (man or male).
    • Memory aid: picture a person using strength (力) to work a field (田).
  7. 兄 (hyeong, older brother)
    • Meanings: older brother, senior.
    • Radical: 儿 (legs of a person).
    • Examples: 兄弟 (brothers), 學兄 (a fellow student addressed respectfully).
    • Memory aid: picture an older brother using his mouth (口) to advise a younger sibling (儿).
  8. 弟 (je, younger brother)
    • Meanings: younger brother, younger sibling.
    • Radical: 弓 (bow).
    • Examples: 兄弟 (brothers), 師弟 (teacher and pupil), 弟子 (disciple).
    • Memory aid: imagine bows (弓) tied in order. Think of the younger sibling as next in order.
  9. 生 (saeng, life)
    • Meanings: be born, live, life.
    • Radical: 生 itself.
    • Examples: 生命 (life), 學生 (student), 人生 (human life).
    • Memory aid: picture grass (䒑) sprouting above the ground (一).
[Nature]
  1. 日 (il, day)
    • Meanings: sun, day, daylight.
    • Radical: 日 itself.
    • Examples: 日月 (sun and moon), 今日 (today), 生年月日 (date of birth).
    • Memory aid: picture a round sun with a mark in the middle, as in the radical section.
  2. 月 (wol, moon)
    • Meanings: moon, month, passage of time.
    • Radical: 月 itself.
    • Examples: 日月 (sun and moon), 歲月 (the passing years), 月曜日 (Monday).
    • Memory aid: picture a crescent moon. Watch for 月 when it is a form of 肉 (yuk, flesh).
  3. 山 (san, mountain)
    • Meaning: mountain.
    • Radical: 山 itself.
    • Examples: 山川 (mountains and rivers), 登山 (mountain climbing), 火山 (volcano).
    • Memory aid: picture mountain peaks rising, as in the radical section.
  4. 川 (cheon, stream)
    • Meanings: stream, brook.
    • Radical: 川 itself.
    • Examples: 山川 (mountains and rivers), 江川 (rivers and streams), 河川 (waterways).
    • Memory aid: picture water flowing in several channels.
  5. 木 (mok, tree)
    • Meanings: tree, timber.
    • Radical: 木 itself.
    • Examples: 木材 (timber), 草木 (plants and trees), 大木 (large tree).
    • Memory aid: picture a tree with branches and roots, as in the radical section.
  6. 水 (su, water)
    • Meanings: water, river water.
    • Radical: 水 itself.
    • Examples: 水道 (water supply), 洪水 (flood), 水泳 (swimming).
    • Memory aid: picture flowing or splashing water, as in the radical section.
  7. 火 (hwa, fire)
    • Meanings: fire, light, burn.
    • Radical: 火 itself.
    • Examples: 火災 (fire), 火山 (volcano), 花火 (fireworks).
    • Memory aid: picture rising flames, as in the radical section.
  8. 土 (to, soil)
    • Meanings: soil, land, territory.
    • Radical: 土 itself.
    • Examples: 土地 (land), 國土 (national territory), 土木 (civil engineering).
    • Memory aid: picture a sprout shaped like 十 coming out of the soil, as in the radical section.
  9. 金 (geum, metal, or gim, surname)
    • Meanings: metal, money, gold, and the surname Kim.
    • Radical: 金 itself.
    • Examples: 金屬 (metal), 現金 (cash), 黃金 (gold).
    • Memory aid: picture two pieces of metal, represented by the dots, shining beneath a covering in the earth (土).
  10. 石 (seok, stone)
    • Meanings: stone, rock.
    • Radical: 石 itself.
    • Examples: 石油 (petroleum), 寶石 (gemstone), 岩石 (rock).
    • Memory aid: picture a stone (口) below a cliff (厂).

Day 1 Wrap-Up and Review Quiz 🔗

We covered key radicals and 40 common characters. You'll see many of them again as components of other characters or as frequently used characters in their own right. Review them several times.
In the next step, we'll build on these characters, learn more, and try actual Level 4 question formats to get a feel for the exam.
    Key Radicals and Essential Characters — Hanja Level 4 in Three Days, Step 1 | PromleeBlog