支
contributes the sense of a branch or offshoot — something that splits off from a main body — and often just supplies the sound zhi/ji/qi · Kangxi radical 65
contributes the sense of a branch or offshoot — something that splits off from a main body — and often just supplies the sound zhi/ji/qi
支 was drawn as a hand (the 又 shape at the bottom) holding up a small twig broken off a tree (the 十-like stroke on top). You can still read the modern character that way: a short branch above, a gripping hand below. From a snapped-off twig came the ideas of branch, limb, and offshoot, which is why 支 shows up in 枝 (tree branch), 肢 (limb of the body), 翅 (wing), and 歧/岐 (a road or ridge that forks). In many other characters, such as 技, 妓 and 吱, 支 is there mainly for its sound.
支 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a branch or offshoot — something that splits off from a main body — and often just supplies the sound zhi/ji/qi
- Strokes
- 4
- Characters
- 16
- Role
- Contributes sound
- Kangxi radical
- 65
Characters with 支
HSK 4 · 2
HSK 5 · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 支 mean?
支 means "contributes the sense of a branch or offshoot — something that splits off from a main body — and often just supplies the sound zhi/ji/qi". In the characters that contain it, it contributes sound.
How many Chinese characters contain 支?
16 characters in this dictionary contain 支, including ones at HSK 4, HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 支 a radical?
Yes — 支 is Kangxi radical 65, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 支 have?
支 is written in 4 strokes.