勹
contributes the sense of wrapping or enclosing something · Kangxi radical 20
contributes the sense of wrapping or enclosing something, and often simply forms a curved stroke that bends over whatever sits inside it
The old graph is usually explained as something curled or bent around a space, but the picture behind it is not certain. What is reliable is the shape itself: a stroke that starts at the top and hooks down and around the right side, so that another element sits tucked in its curve, as in 包, 旬, 句 and 甸. In several characters on this list the curve is only a look-alike — 久, 夕, 勺, 勿, 舄 and 蜀 arrived at similar strokes from different pictures — so treat 勹 as a shape to recognize rather than a guaranteed clue to meaning.
勹 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of wrapping or enclosing something
- Strokes
- 2
- Characters
- 20
- Role
- Contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 20
Characters with 勹 (18 of 20)
HSK 6 · 1
Beyond HSK · 11
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 勹 mean?
勹 means "contributes the sense of wrapping or enclosing something". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 勹?
20 characters in this dictionary contain 勹, including ones at HSK 3, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 勹 a radical?
Yes — 勹 is Kangxi radical 20, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 勹 have?
勹 is written in 2 strokes.