匸
contributes the sense of enclosing · Kangxi radical 23
contributes the sense of enclosing, covering or concealing something inside a container
匸 is drawn as a lid-like top stroke with a hook dropping down the left side, forming a small shelter that is open on the right — a box or screen with something tucked behind it. In modern characters the enclosed item sits inside that hook: 医 hides an arrow 矢, 匿 hides 若, 匾 hides 扁. It is easily confused with 匚, a similar open box, and the two were never kept strictly apart in writing; the exact object 匸 first depicted is unclear, though the sense of a covering that shields from view is consistent across the characters that use it.
匸 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of enclosing
- Strokes
- 2
- Characters
- 7
- Role
- Contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 23
Characters with 匸 (6 of 7)
HSK 1 · 1
HSK 5 · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 匸 mean?
匸 means "contributes the sense of enclosing". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 匸?
7 characters in this dictionary contain 匸, including ones at HSK 1, HSK 5.
Is 匸 a radical?
Yes — 匸 is Kangxi radical 23, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 匸 have?
匸 is written in 2 strokes.