屮
contributes the sense of a young plant pushing up · Kangxi radical 45
contributes the sense of a young plant pushing up, though in several characters it is only a shape the modern form happens to match
The old graph drew a single small plant: one vertical stem with a pair of short leaves opening out to either side, which is exactly what the three strokes of 屮 still show. In 屯 the picture is the same shoot, but with the bottom stroke bent to suggest it straining against the soil above its root. In 出 and 蚩, however, the top part only looks like 屮 in the modern shape — 出 originally showed a foot stepping out of a hollow dwelling, and the upper element of 蚩 is unclear — so treat 屮 there as a writing convenience rather than a sprout.
屮 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a young plant pushing up
- Strokes
- 3
- Characters
- 7
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 45
Characters with 屮 (3 of 7)
Beyond HSK · 2
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 屮 mean?
屮 means "contributes the sense of a young plant pushing up". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 屮?
7 characters in this dictionary contain 屮, including ones at HSK 1.
Is 屮 a radical?
Yes — 屮 is Kangxi radical 45, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 屮 have?
屮 is written in 3 strokes.