The Chinese Radical: 一




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Meaning
one    一

Explanation

Used in these characters:
HSK 1
one, 1, single, a (article)


One line: One finger  
HSK 1
(negative prefix), not, no


Four strokes are not enough.  
HSK 1
to come, to arrive, ever since, next
lái
Top: one 一, bottom: rice 米 (with a long vertical stroke)
Because of one grain of rice I shall come?  
HSK 1
upwards, on top, upon, above
shàng, shǎng
Ground 一, with a plant 卜 directing upwards. (opposite of下)
From the horizontal ground, a plant is directed upwards.  
HSK 1
down(wards), below, lower, later, next (week etc)
xià

Shows a line 一 as ground and a plant's root 卜 underneath.  
HSK 1
three, 3
sān

Three lines = three fingers  
HSK 1
east
dōng

Simplified from 東, which shows a sun 日 that rises behind a tree 木 in the east.  
HSK 1
master, teacher, expert
shī
Left: knife刂, right: one 一 (here: stick) and cloth 巾
He comes with a knife, a stick and good cloth: The master!  
HSK 1
seven, 7


Looks like an arabic 7 upside down.  
HSK 2
unit of length zhàng = 3.3 meters, gentleman
zhàng

Shows a big 大 person with a wide step to measure the distance of 1 zhàng.  
HSK 2
both, two, a few, tael(=50 grams unit = two ounces)
liǎng
Shows: inside 内 with one 一 further person 人, who is inside. (cf. third 丙)
Two connected 一 persons 人人 are inside 冂, thus both  
HSK 3
business, occupation, study, estate, property

It is shown a hill with an extinct volcanic vent. As radical it is understood as "hollow". Here however, as a tray 一 with a glass || and other things.
A loaded tray stands for the business sector.  
HSK 3
ten thousand, a great number
wàn

Derived from a swastika (Indian religious symbol) and stands for the ten thousand divinities/deities.  
HSK 3
summer
xià
From top: cover 一 (against the sun), I, myself 自 (The emphasized ノ eye 目 is myself.), upturned foot (=sitting cross-legged) 夂
Covered (= in the shade) I myself sit cross-legged, because it is summer.  
HSK 3
further, moreover, and, yet more
qiě

Image of a pile of stones (stone cairn) on which a stone is added, therefore: further, moreover.  
HSK 4
focused on one thing, concentrated, special, expert
zhuān
Simplified from 專. Appears like person on ski 专 in a downhill-squat with two poles 二 in the hands
When skiing, you have to be focused.  
HSK 4
with, and, (same as 欤)
yú, yǔ, yù
An Arabic five 5 and the Chinese one 一
'Five' and 'one' is an "and"-connection.  
HSK 4
beautiful, pretty, elegant, fine
lí, lì
Top: one/cover 一, below: twice variant of usual 凡 (A table 机/几 with a scratch 丶 is common.)
If you put a cover (tablecloth) over the two scratched tables, they again are beautiful.  
HSK 4
to lose, to put aside, to abandon
diū
Top: any object ノ, below: to leave 去 (Below ground 土 is the nose 厶, which has left.)
An object, that has left: is lost.  
HSK 5
book, booklet, classifier for books


Image of something bound, hold with a tie 一: A book  
HSK 5
deficiency, deficit, luckily
kuī
One 一 and winding seaweed 丂
If there is only one seaweed, it's a real deficiency.  
HSK 5
silk, thread, trace

Top: 2x thread 纟/糸, below: one 一
If the threads are fine like a 'one', it's silk.  
HSK 6
to extinguish or put out, wipe out, to drown
miè
Top: a cover 一, below: fire 火
Cover the fire to extinguish it.  
HSK 6
cluster, thicket, collection (of books)
cóng
Top: follow, obey 从 (two persons), bottom: 一 (Here: a row)
When the two persons develop into a row/line, it becomes a cluster.  
HSK 6
Third in order, 3rd heavenly stems 十天干
bǐng
One 一, inside 内 (originally altar with sth. placed on it)
One 一 outside, two λ strokes inside makes: no. 3.  
HSK 6
sieve, filter, to sift, screening (medicine)
shāi
Top: bamboo 竹, bottom: master, teacher 师 (He has a knife 刂, a stick 一 and good cloth 巾)
Bamboo 竹 was cut 刂 for it and the sieve 一 is made of cloth 巾: a sieve.  
no HSK
to store, to save, stockpile
zhù
Left: money 贝/貝, right: roof 宀 and one 一
We need money, because under the roof a stockpile shall be stored.  
no HSK
rising to a height, towering, bald


Up to the measuring line 一 are the legs 儿, that's how high he is risen.  
no HSK
deputy, assist
chéng
Top: 氶, (乛, water 水), below: a stroke 一
The strokes at top 乛 and bottom 一 give a channel (= freedom of action) for the water, that has equally a deputy.  
no HSK
grand, great, glorious

Top and bottom: two 二, middle: small 小 (cf. negation 不)
Between two boundaries something small can be: great.  

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

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