The Chinese Radical: 寸


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Meaning
skillful hand    寸

Explanation Image of a hand forearm and pulse . It was originally also the distance of one inch (Length: 1 ts'wun = 3.72 cm) from the hand's palm to the pulse. This also stood for a small amount. In the mnemonic, it is used as "skillful hand".

Used in these characters:
JLPT HSK 1
period, time, era, hour, season
shí
Left: sun/day , right: skillful hand
A day is divided by a skillful hand into: periods.
JLPT HSK 1
to reply, to answer, to oppose, to face
duì
Left: once again (image of a hand), right: skillful hand
The two hands are opposite, when: replying.
JLPT HSK 1
to thank, apologize, to wither (of flowers)
xiè
Left: word / (sound waves out of a mouth ), right: shoot 射 (The body [is in a lateral position] and has a skillful hand , when shooting)
The words after the shot were thanks (or apologies).
JLPT HSK 2
to obtain, to get, to gain, to catch (a disease), profit
dé, de, děi
Left: go , right top: sunrise (The sun is just above the horizon ), below: skillful hand
"The early bird catches the worm": Go at sunrise and with a skillful you will achieve success/profit.
JLPT HSK 2
to pass through, to go across, (experienced action marker)
guò
Left: movement , right: skillful hand
A movement of the skillful hand and you have passed through.
JLPT HSK 3
tree, to plant
shù
Left: tree , right: to reply 对 (Once again to give a skillful answer.) [ shows a hand]
You need a tree and both hands (this hand and your skillful hand ) to plant that tree.
JLPT HSK 3
special, unique, distinguished, unusual

Left: cow (The head of a cow キ with only one horn ), right: temple (= Made of earth and built with skillful hands )
(Typically smaller animals like sheep or chicken were sacrificed. Thus:) A cow at the temple is sth: special.
JLPT HSK 3
inner layer of garment, underwear, lining
chèn
Left: clothes 衤/, right: skillful hand
(For sewing) clothes you need a skillful hand if it is an inner layer or underwear.
JLPT HSK 4
leadership, to guide, transmit, conduct, to direct
dǎo
Top: year of snake 巳 (here: self = Following the windings, I find myself.), bottom: skillful hand
You, yourself, must have a skillful hand for leadership.
JLPT HSK 4
to hand over to, deliver, to pay

Left: person /, right: skillful hand
A person with a skillful hand, who hands over sth. or pays.
JLPT HSK 4
to ask/demand for, to beg, provoke, invite
tǎo
Left: word / (sound waves out of a mouth ), right: skillful hand
Use words and a skillful hand to ask for sth.
JLPT HSK 4
to seal, letter(=sealed objects), to grant
fēng
Left: piled/cumulated earth (=2x earth ), right: skillful hand
(cf. street 街 [= I go over piled earth ] - Thus at road construction:) Earth is piled up by skillful hands and sealed.
JLPT HSK 4
extensive, gains, rich, obtain, to win, plentiful

Left: ten , right: announce (from top: just now , skillful hand ) [just now = A hand for holding an item is what I need just now.]
Tenfold you can make just now with skillful hands extensive gains.
JLPT HSK 4
commander-in-chief (mil.), will, shall
jiāng, jiàng
Left: bed (pictograph of a tree cut into half, cf. ), right: hand reaching down , skillful hand
A simple bed, a hand reaching down and a skillful hand: This is what makes a commander.
JLPT HSK 4
honorific, to honor, to respect
zūn
From top: out of , wine mug , skillful hand
When sth. comes out of a wine mug by a skillful hand, it's seen to be: honorific.
JLPT HSK 4
capable of enduring, able to tolerate, patience
nài
Left: beard (closed mouth with a beard ), right: skillful hand
(A lot of care-taking is necessary:) A beard needs a skillful hand that has endurance and patience.
JLPT HSK 4
kitchen
chú
Left: cliff (here: kitchen table), inside: bean , skillful hand
The kitchen table, at which beans are processed with skillful hands, is in: the kitchen.
JLPT HSK 4
shoulder, upper arm

Left: body part /, right: to announce (just now with skillful hand ) [A hand for holding an item is what I need just now] cf. elbow 肘
The body part, that somehow looks like the upper body and where my 'skillful hand' is, is the shoulder.
JLPT HSK 5
to shoot, to launch, to allude to
shè
Left: body (side view of a body), right: skillful hand
The body stands laterally and needs a skillful hand, when: shooting.
JLPT HSK 5
village
cūn
Left: tree , right: unit of length (often seen as: "skillful hand"
(Historically a palisade [= a fence] was used as defense around the village) Trees are erected with skillful hands to (protect): the village.
JLPT HSK 5
meager, slight, weak, belittle, to look down on
bó, báo, bò
Top: plant , below: extensive (The water announces that it is extensively widespread) [announce = right now with a skillful hand , cf.搏])
When plants are in the water they stay right now and despite skillful hands: meager and weak.
JLPT HSK 5
to hinder, to obstruct, to block
ài
Left: stone (At the cliff is a stone ), right: sunrise , skillful hand
(Due to the articular gout) Like a stone is at sunrise my skillful hand: That hinders and obstructs.
JLPT HSK 5
to search, to look for, to seek
xún
Top: hand /, below: skillful hand
Use both hands for searching.
JLPT HSK 5
to obey, comply with, to observe, to follow
zūn
Left: movement , right: honourific (When sth. comes out of a wine mug by a skillful hand , it's seen to be: honorific.)
A honorific movement is obedient.
寿
JLPT HSK 5
long life, old age, birthday
shòu
寿
Left: var. of hand , right: skillful hand
Two hands congratulate and wish: a long life. (And: Two hands are needed to roll sushi 寿.)
JLPT HSK 5
to comfort, to console, to reassure
wèi
Top: military officer (This buttocks shows his skillful hand as an officer), bottom: heart
An officer with a heart knows how to comfort.
JLPT HSK 5
hat, crown, crest, cap
guān, guàn
Top: cover , bottom: origin/chin.Yuan , skillful hand
It's covering, costed many Yuan and is made by a skillful hand: The crown. (or the hat)
JLPT HSK 5
to guard, defend, protect, to observe (rules)
shǒu
Top: roof , below: skillful hand
A roof or a skillful hand can guard.
JLPT HSK 5
to crouch, to squat
dūn
Left: foot (knee cap and footprint ), right: honorific (When sth. comes out of a wine mug by a skillful hand , it's seen to be: honorific.)
(Making a kowtow?) With your feet you are honorific, if you crouch.
JLPT HSK 6
buddhist temple, monastery

Top: earth , bottom: skillful hand
Use earth and skillful hands to build a temple.
JLPT HSK 6
a unit of length, inch, thumb
cùn
Originally a hand with a pulse; re-interpreted as a: "skillful hand"
From the pulse to the hand it is one Cùn (3,03 cm).
JLPT HSK 6
disgrace, dishonor, humiliation, to insult

Top: early-morning = image of plowing (At the field corner a first line is plowed by the farmer ), below: skillful hand
He had the plow in his skillful hands which he understood as: disgrace.
JLPT HSK 6
to seize, to take away forcibly, strive for
duó
Top: big , bottom: skillful hand
With a big and skillful hand you can seize or strive/compete for sth.
JLPT HSK 6
to chew
jiáo, jué
Left: mouth , right: nobility 爵 (A hand takes the plates 罒(=) to serve food skillfully to the nobility.)
Also the mouths of the nobility chew.
JLPT no HSK
nobility, duke, baron, lord
jué
Top: hand reaching down , net/eye 罒 (here: plate ), below: var of food , skillful hand
A hand reaches down to the plates to serve food skillfully to the nobility.
JLPT no HSK
to ponder, to speculate, to consider, to guess
cǔn
Left: feelings , right: skillful hand
The feeling in a skillful hand is a: pondering.
JLPT no HSK
elbow, pork shoulder
zhǒu
Left: body part /, right: skillful hand
The body part, which a 'skillful hand' needs: The elbow.
JLPT no HSK
wardrobe, closet, cabinet
chú
Left: tree , right: kitchen 厨 (The kitchen table , at which beans are processed with skillful hands , is in the kitchen.)
Its made of wood and is in the kitchen: the wardrobe.
JLPT no HSK
to hunt, to go hunting
shòu
Left: animal , right: protect 守 (A roof or a skillful hand can guard)
Animals can for the protection (of the environment) be hunted.
JLPT no HSK
cover over, to envelope
dào
寿
Top: long life 寿 (two skillful hands & are needed for Sushi 寿 and you will have a long life.), bottom: fire
(Oxygen reduction by a cover causes a slow burning:) A long life has the fire, if it is covered.
JLPT no HSK
military officer
wèi
From left: buttock seen from the side , to show , skillful hand
This buttocks shows a skillful hand: that's an officer.
JLPT no HSK
mattress

Left: clothes 衤/, right: disgrace, dishonor 辱 (Having the plow in his skillful hands he understood as: disgrace.)
For clothes it is a disgrace only serving as: a mattress.
JLPT no HSK
beat, to strike
zhuā
Left: hand , right: to pass through 过 (A movement of the skillful hand and you passed through.)
A hand can pass through, if it beats.

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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