The Chinese Radical: 日




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Meaning
sun, day    日

Explanation This radical was developed from a circle with a central dot as the image of the sun. As you can hardly draw circles or dots with a brush, it became the current rectangular shape.

Used in these characters:
HSK 1
correct, indeed, to be:am/is
shì
Top: sun 日, bottom: correct 正 (To stop 止 at the line 一 is correct.)
The sun looks correct: This is indeed correct!  
HSK 1
period, time, era, hour, season
shí
Left: sun/day 日, right: skillful hand 寸
A day is divided by a skillful hand into: periods.  
HSK 1
to think, to believe, to suppose, to wish, to miss
xiǎng
Top: mutually 相 (At the tree 木 you watch 目 mutually.), below: heart 心
The mutual exchange with the heart are the thoughts.  
HSK 1
bright, clear, to understand
míng
A combination of sun 日 and moon 月
Both sun and moon shine bright.  
HSK 1
shadow, reflection, movie, photograph
yǐng
Left: panorama, view 景 (The sun 日 above the capital 京 [= stone lantern] is a panorama.), right: hair 彡
(When long hair are in front of the eyes:) The panorama appears through the hair like: in a shadow.  
HSK 1
star, planet
xīng
Top: sun 日, bottom: live 生 (The twig ノ at the growing plant stands for life.)
(Due to their movement in the night sky) Suns that live are the stars.  
HSK 1
to drink, to shout loudly, My goodness!
hē, hè
Left: mouth 口, right: interrogation 曷 (= The mouth with tongue 日 enwraps 勹 the person 人 in the corner at the interrogation)
His mouth wants (when the sun is over the wrapped person 人) something: to drink.  
HSK 1
yesterday, past
zuó
Left: sun/day 日, right: suddenly 乍 (The saw 乍 fells [the tree] suddenly.)
(At midnight:) The present day is "sawn" into yesterday.  
HSK 2
early, morning
zǎo
Sunrise 旦 (sun 日 above the horizon 一) with marking: 丶
When the sun is at the marking 丶 at the horizon, it is early in the morning.  
HSK 2
day, sun, abbr. for Japan


This image of the sun was originally drawn as a circle with an inner point, from which this 日 was developed.  
HSK 2
evening, night, late
wǎn
Left: day/sun 日, right: avoid, escape 免 (An escaping rabbit 兔: long ears ⺈, big eyes 罒, legs 儿, but without tail 丶)
The day "escapes". It's getting evening.  
HSK 2
sing, to call loudly, to chant
chàng
Left: mouth 口, right: prosperous, flourishing 昌 (Two suns 日 and it is flourishing.)
A mouth as big as two suns makes a good singer.  
HSK 2
between, among, to separate
jiān, jiàn
Outside: gate 门/門, inside: sun 日
The gate 門 has two wings (with a gap) and the sun shines between.  
HSK 2
clear, fine (weather)
qíng
Left: day/sun 日, right: young, blue 青 (Growing plants appear in the moonshine 月 blue and young.)
Sunny and blue (sky) - It's sunny and the weather's cleared up.  
HSK 2
most, the most, extreme, -est
zuì
Top: sun 日, below: take/hold 取 (at the ear 耳 with the hand 又 to grasp)
The sun takes/captures [with its shine] mostly the extreme.  
HSK 3
person, (used to refer to previous)
zhě
Top: old man 耂, below: sun 日
The old man in the sun shows that he is the one, ...  
HSK 3
Sun, positive, sun, male principle, Yang of (Yin:阴/Yang:阳)
yáng
Left: hill 阝(If this radical: 阝is at the left of a character it means 'hill', otherwise it means 'village'), right: sun 日
The hill is on its sunny side positive, thus the: Yang (male)  
HSK 3
single, individual, only, bill, list
chán, dān, shàn
From top: coming out 丷 (here: rays or shine), sun 日, ten 十
It shines the sun in a group of ten (with nine planets, including Pluto) as the single one.  
HSK 3
former, old, opposite, worn (with age)
jiù
Left: var. of one 丨, right: sun, day 日
One day formerly.  
HSK 3
spring (time), joyful, gay
chūn
From top: three 三, person 人, sun 日
Three persons sit in the sun: It is spring and we are joyful!  
HSK 3
to marry, marriage, wedding, to take a wife
hūn
Left: woman 女, right: dusk/nightfall 昏 (The family 氏 sits in the sun 日 at dusk.)
The woman comes into the family/clan 氏 at the day 日 of the marriage.  
HSK 3
easy, amiable, to change, to exchange

Top: sun 日, below: rays 勿
Sunshine makes it easy.  
HSK 4
scenery, bright, circumstance
jǐng
Top: sun 日, below: capital 京 (image of a stone lantern)
The sun above the capital is a nice scenery.  
HSK 4
warm, temperature
wēn
Left: water 氵, right: 昷 (sun 日 and a bowl/plate 皿)
The water in the sunny bowl becomes warm.  
HSK 4
to explain, to extend, (monkey in animal calendar)
shēn
Sun/day日, lightning 丨
A flash of lightning in full daylight: What will that say to us? - Or better: A mouth 口 with a big "plus" + for the outgoing surplus when explaining.  
HSK 4
thick, deep or profound, kind, generous
hòu
From top: cliff 厂, sun 日, child 子 (.. a child with an emphasized head 乛, body 丿 and two help-seeking arms 一)
Under the cliff in the sun there is a child that is thick, but kind and generous.  
HSK 4
temporary, for the time being, provisional
zàn
Top: chop 斩 (The vehicle 車 was chopped by an axe 斤.), below: sun/Tag 日
In the vehicle there was an axe for a day, so only temporarily.  
HSK 4
general, popular, everywhere, universal

Top: to line up 並 (originally 2 x stand 立立 [for row], now merged to 並), bottom: sun 日
Lining up in the sun is generally popular.  
HSK 4
to warm, to heat
nuǎn
Left: sun 日, right: to help 爰 (a hand reaches down 爫 to give a rope ノ [with two 二 knots] and another hand 又 takes this help.)
The sun helps to warm up.  
HSK 4
heat, hot weather, summer heat
shǔ
Top: sun 日, bottom: person 者 (old man 耂 on the sun 日)
The sun directly above the person - that's a heat!  
HSK 5
wisdom, knowledge, intelligence
zhì
At top: to know 知 (The arrow 矢 has a target 口, which it knows.), below: sun 日
Knowledge like a shining sun is true wisdom.  
HSK 5
visible, to illustrate, to display, conspicuous
xiǎn
Top: sun 日, bottom: business, occupation 业 (it's shown a volcanic vent with a hollow peak)
When the sun is (directly) above the volcanic vent, it is visible there.  
HSK 5
dawn, morning, day-break
dàn
Above: sun 日, below: horizontal line 一 for horizon [Sunset is: 莫]
When the sun appears above the horizon it's dawn.  
HSK 5
reflect, shine
yìng
Left: sun 日, right: center 央 (The yoke 冂 on the shoulders of the big 大 man is centered).
When the sun reaches the zenith [= center] everything is reflecting.  
湿
HSK 5
moist, wet
shī
Left: water 氵, right: visible 显 (If the sun 日 is [directly] over a hollow volcanic vent 业, it is visible there)
Water makes a sunny hole (=vent) wet. Or: Water is visible, when (i.e. the floor) is wet.  
HSK 5
elder brother, descendant, insect
kūn
Top: sun 日, bottom: compare 比 (originally: image of insect with carapace 日 and legs 比)
He appears like the sun in comparison (with the siblings): The elder brother.  
HSK 5
to replace, on behalf of, to substitute for

Top: 2 x husband 夫 (The big 大 person with the extra-caring arms 一 is the husband.), bottom: sun 日
The two husbands 夫 are during sunshine 日 (= good times) exchangeable.  
HSK 5
banquet, feast, repose
yàn
From top: roof 宀, sun 日, woman 女
Under the roof the sunny woman hosts a banquet.  
HSK 5
to propose, instigate, initiate, promote, introduce
chàng
Left: person 亻, right: to flourish 昌 (Two suns 日 and it is flourishing.)
According to this person, there should be two suns: that was the proposal!  
HSK 5
dizzy, giddy, to faint, to swoon, to lose consciousness
yūn, yùn
Top: day, sun 日, bottom: army, military 军 (.. with camouflaged 冖 vehicles 车/車)
(due to the heat) When the sun shines on your covered vehicle, you get dizzy in it.  
HSK 5
ten days, ten years, full period
xún
Wrap sth. 勹 and sun 日
When the sun is wrapped (by clouds), then often for the duration of 10 days.  
HSK 5
obscure, gloomy, hidden, dark, secret, muddled
àn
Left: sun/day 日, right: sound, music 音 (Stand/Get up 立 into the day 日 with music [of the clock radio?])
(You write in this order: 日 → 立 → 日) When the sun stands 立 between two days 日,日 it is: dark.  
HSK 5
to dry in the sun, to sunbathe
shài
西
Left: sun 日, right: west 西 (sun 日 moves 儿 below the horizon 一 at sunset in the west)
The sun in the west (= at the afternoon) is good for drying or a sunbath.  
HSK 6
to tread on, to stamp, to press a pedal

Left: foot 足 (knee cap 口 and footprint 止), right: many 沓 (water 水, sun 日 [here: sun 日 as 吕 = stones lying next to each other])
The foot can step into water or if there is a way of aligned stones to: tread on.  
HSK 6
to dazzle, to shake, swing
huǎng, huàng
Top: sun 日, bottom: light, ray 光 (Fire 火 on legs 儿 serves as light.)
The sun has a shining light that is dazzling, like swinging around.  
HSK 6
to lift, raise one's head, soaring, expensive
áng
Top: sun 日, bottom: 卬 ([at the left] an odd person 人 bowing down 卩 deeply [at the right])
Looking at the sun, the bowed person has: raised. (Or: In sunshine 日 the one-legged 卬 rabbit 卯 will raise the head.)  
HSK 6
oath, pledge, union, to ally, league
méng
Top: bright/clear 明 (sun 日, moon 月), below: bowl/plate 皿
On a bright plate, it is presented: the oath of pledge.  
HSK 6
twilight, dusk, lose consciousness, muddle-headed
hūn
Left: family 氏 (A distorted person 人 = 亻= 厂 together with "Plus +" as multiplier makes a family.), right: sun 日
The family is sitting in the sunshine at dusk.  
HSK 6
flourishing, prosperous, roaring (fire)
wàng
Left: sun, day 日, right: king 王
During the day, the king looks so flourishing!  
HSK 6
violence, sudden, cruel, to show or expose, to injure
bào
From top: sun 日, together 共 (Put the plants 艹 on the table together.), water 水
The sun together with water exposes the violence.  
HSK 6
understanding

Left: sun 日, right: to analyze 析 (The tree 木 is divided with an axe 斤 for analyzing.)
In the (light of the) sun, the analysis is understandable.  
HSK 6
prosperous, flourishing
chāng
Two suns 日
Two suns shine: all is prosperous and flourishing.  
HSK 6
dawn, daybreak, to let sb know
xiǎo
Left: sun 日, right: Emperor Tang Yao 尧 (variation of halberd 戈 and variant of table )
When the sun proceeds with the shade of the halberd to the table, it is dawn.  
HSK 6
conceal, dark, obscure
mèi
Left: sun/day 日, right: not yet 未 (The upper shorter branch 一 of the tree 木 is "not yet")
The day is still immature: It is still concealed in the dark.  
HSK 6
former times, the past

Top: 龷 (here: together 共 = Put the plants 艹 on the table together.), bottom: sun 日
Together in the sun we think of the old days.  
HSK 6
to move forward, to promote, to advance
jìn
Top: relatively weak 亚 (Put a plank 一 on the volcanic vent 业 because is relatively weak.), below: sun 日 (here: today)
The plank shall be put on the volcanic vent within today, because we want to move forward!  
HSK 6
dike, dam, embankment

Left: earth 土, right: correct 是 (sun 日, variant of correct 正)
The earth is correctly (used) for a dike.  
HSK 6
morning, daybreak
chén
Top: sun 日, bottom: morning 辰 5th earth branch, 7-9 a.m. (=image of plowing 辰 (At the field corner 厂 a first line 一 is plowed by the farmer 农.)
With the sun at the plow already at the early morning!  
HSK 6
drought
hàn
Top: sun 日, bottom: dry 干 (laundry rack)
If the sun is particularly drying, it is a drought.  
HSK 6
order, purpose, imperial decree, aim
zhǐ
Top: sitting person 匕, bottom: sun 日
If sb. sits above the sun, he can issue orders and decrees.  
HSK 6
inner strength, contain/collect, accumulate, hold in store
yùn
Top: grass 艹, bottom: 缊 (thread 纟/糸, sun 日, bowl 皿)
The grass has fibers/threads which, when viewed in light, are the bowl for inner strength.  
HSK 6
daytime, daylight
zhòu
Top: Length measurement Chǐ 尺 (Chinese foot = 30.3 cm), below: Sunrise 旦 (The sun 日 over the horizon 一)
In Chǐ you measure when the sun is one foot above the horizon: then it is daytime.  
HSK 6
meet (socially), to encounter sb.

Left: sun, day 日, right: I; my 吾 (here: simplification of speech, language 语)
During the day to use 'language' means: to meet sb.  
HSK 6
vast, neglect, desert, waste, wilderness
kuàng
广
Left: sun 日, right: (empty) building 广
When the sun shines into an empty building, it appears as vast wilderness.  
HSK 6
crystal
jīng
3
3 x sun 日
(Light refraction at its cut surfaces) It becomes like three suns at the: crystal.  
HSK 6
to explode or burst, to quick fry or boil
bào
Left: fire 火, right: expose/violence 暴 (sun 日 [here: frying pan, skillet], variation of together 共, water 水)
Fire leads in the frying pan together with water to an explosion.  
HSK 6
waterfall, shower (rain)
bào, pù
Left: water 氵, right: violence, expose 暴 (The sun 日 together 共 with water 水 exposes the violence.)
Water and the sun (fall) together into the water and form: the waterfall.  
HSK 6
ward off (a blow)
hàn
Left: hand 扌, right: drought 旱 (The sun 日 has dried 干.)
By hand the drought is warded off.  
HSK 6
to air, to sun, (to expose to air or sun)
pù, bào
Left: sun 日, right: violence, expose 暴 (The sun 日 together 共 with water 水 exposes the violence.)
(If you spread it out, it dries better:) In the sun it is exposed for: airing or sun(-bathing).  
HSK 6
stupid, clumsy, rude, crass

Top: fish 鱼/魚 (.. with mouth ⺈, body 田 and tail fin 灬), bottom: sun 日
Putting the fish in the sun is stupid and clumsy.  
HSK 6
step on, trample, to waste, wreck

Left: foot 足 (knee cap 口 and footprint 止), right: Variant of: collapse 塌 (You will come back to earth 土, when you want (to reach) the sun 日 with your flight 羽, whereat you collapse. [HERE: with foot 足 instead of earth 土]
The foot will on something collapsed: trample on.  
HSK 6
(of daylight) dim, obscure, clandestine, dubious
ài
Left: sun 日, right: love 爱 (When I reach down 爫 through a cover 冖 to my friend 友, then because of love.) [friend 友 = two shaking hands , 又]
The sun is what I'd love, if it is dim and obscure.  
HSK 6
pleasant, genius and warm
xuān
Left: sun 日, right: announce 宣 (At the roof 宀 [= highest point] with a first sun ray 一 the sunrise 旦 is announced.)
When the sun announces, it becomes pleasant and warm.  
HSK 6
to dry in the air
liàng
Left: sun 日, right: capital 京 (image of a stone lantern)
In the sun at the stone lantern, we let it dry.  
no HSK
beautiful, handsome, extended
màn
Top: sun 日, eye 罒, hand 又 (here: eyelashes)
When the sun shines on her eye with the extended eyelashes, she is beautiful & handsome.  
no HSK
bright, manifest, luminous, clear
zhāo
Left: sun 日, right: to call together 召 (... with the sword 刀 and the mouth 口)
The sun is calling: It is becoming bright and luminous!  
no HSK
dark, deep, stupid, the underworld
míng
From top: cover 冖, sun/day 日, six 六
(The class of sunglasses?) A cover that makes the sun-light sixfold darker.  
no HSK
leisure
xiá
Left: day 日, center: var. of door 戸 (with stairs 二), right: tool コ/工, hand 又
(DIY = Home improvement as a hobby:) The day when I repair door and stairs with a tool in my hand is my leisure time.  
no HSK
evening, sunset, one's old age

Top: negative 莫 (sink, go down: The plants 艹 are made by the sun 日 to be large 大 [= as long shadows] at sunset.), bottom: sun 日
At this sinking sun, the sun stands for: evening.  
no HSK
fin

Left: fish 鱼/魚 (... with mouth ⺈, body 田 and tail fin 灬), right: person above 60 years 耆 (老 [Old man 耂, sitting person 匕], sun 日)[old man 耂 & order, purpose 旨]
At the fish they give like an old man 耂 (with the fingers 指), the orders 旨: the fins.  
no HSK
midday, noon, part of the day, moment
shǎng
Left: sun 日, right: in direction to 向 (At the house 冂 the window 口 is in: this ノ direction.)
The sun moves in the direction towards: midday.  
no HSK
dawn, rising sun

Left: nine 九, right: sun 日
The upward direction ナ over the horizon 一 with a sun ray 乚 stands for: rising sun.  
no HSK
addicted to, fond of, preference, (word's end ...-phil)
shì
Left: mouth 口, right: old man 耆 (old, experienced 老 [old man 耂, sitting person 匕], sun 日)
(He likes eating?) By the mouth has the old man his preferences: his addiction.  
no HSK
low bed, couch

Left: tree 木, right: sun 日 (here: pillow) and wings/feathers 羽 (here: feather bed or comforter)
Made of wood, with a pillow, and a feather-bed (duvet): a bed or couch.  
no HSK
fierce, violent, heroic, courageous, intrepid, dauntless
hàn
Left: feelings 忄, right: drought 旱 (the sun 日 has dried 干)
(The plants are withered) The feelings at this drought are fierce.  
no HSK
dark, night, unlucky
huì
Left: sun 日, right: every 每 (every person 人 = has a mother 母)
(You get suntanned face color.) In the sun, everybody gets dark.  
no HSK
infection, epidemic, plague, pestilence
wēn
Left: disease 疒 (An ice-冫-cold building 广 makes sick), right: 昷 (variant of warm 温 = The water 氵 on a sunny 日 plate 皿 becomes warm.)
(You get fever:) The disease of heat is: an infection.  
no HSK
drag, pull, to tow

(Due to the weight, the person 人 is deformed)
A person 人 with a heavy load 日 on the shoulders who is dragging or pulling.  
no HSK
daybreak, dawn, the dawn of a new epoch (metaphor)
shǔ
Left: sun 日, right: government office 署 (The eyes 罒 above the persons 者 are a government office.) [see the similarity to: heat 暑]
When the sun 日 is still flat without heat 暑 (this sun 日 is 90°-rotated 罒 over a person 者), we are in the dawn.  
no HSK
to bring together, to shovel a heap, to gather
cuō
Left: hand 扌, right: most, extremely 最 (The sun 日 takes/captures 取 [with its shine] mostly the extreme. [to take 取 = at the ear 耳 by hand 又]
The hand captures sth. extreme, when bringing things together.  
no HSK
dam, embankment, dike, bank, weir
yàn
Left: earth 土, right: 匽 (frame 匚, sun 日 (here: simplified field 田), woman 女)
The earth that (protects) as a frame the (simplified) fields and the women is: a dam.  
no HSK
sunshine, to shine upon
huī
Left: sun 日, right: army, military 军 (.. with covered 冖 camouflaged vehicles 车/車)
The sun has 'military power' by the: sunshine.  
no HSK
to long for, yearn for, awaken
jǐng
Left: feelings 忄, right: scenery, view 景 (.. with the sun 日 over the capital 京)
Feelings at this view: yearning and longing.  
no HSK
aurora, first light of a day

Left: sun 日, right: emperor Fuxi / Fu Hsi 羲 (With sheep 羊, rice plants 禾, seaweed 丂 and halberds 戈 was: Fuxi)
The sun of Fu Hsi is the first light of the day.  
no HSK
man of sixty or seventy

Top: old, experienced 老 (old man 耂 as a sitting person 匕), bottom: sun 日
Image of an old man sitting in the sun (.. who gives instructions 旨 with the finger 指.)  
no HSK
many, again and again, pile (i.e. of papers)

Top: water 水, bottom: day, sun 日
(Flowing) water and the days come again and again.  
no HSK
quiet, peace, late
yàn
Top: sun 日, below: peaceful 安 (A woman 女 in the house 宀 makes it peaceful.)
The sun over the 'peaceful' emphasizes: quietness.  
no HSK
vast and limitless, the vast sky
hào
Top: sun 日, bottom: sky, heaven 天
The sun and the heaven are: vast and limitless.  

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

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