爪
contributes the sense of clawing · Kangxi radical 87
contributes the sense of clawing, gripping, or scratching with a hand or paw
爪 began as a picture of a hand or bird's foot bent downward with the claws showing, seen from the side. In the modern shape the top stroke is the wrist or leg, and the three strokes below spread out as the curling talons or fingertips reaching down. That downward grasp is what it lends to 抓 (grab), 爬 (crawl, scrabbling with hands and feet), and 笊, a bamboo ladle whose splayed weave looks like spread claws.
爪 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of clawing
- Strokes
- 4
- Characters
- 3
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 87
Characters with 爪
HSK 3 · 1
HSK 5 · 1
Beyond HSK · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 爪 mean?
爪 means "contributes the sense of clawing". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 爪?
3 characters in this dictionary contain 爪, including ones at HSK 3, HSK 5.
Is 爪 a radical?
Yes — 爪 is Kangxi radical 87, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 爪 have?
爪 is written in 4 strokes.