歹 · dǎi

bad; death

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#78

Kangxi

4

Strokes

#59

Frequency

Visual hint

A dry bone or dead thing: broken diagonal strokes like fractured bone, evoking decay and death.

Suggests death, evil, decay, or something wicked.

varies

Trace the radical, simplified, traditional, and variant forms when available.

歹

2 examples

死

sǐ

to die; death

HSK 4

残

cán

disabled; cruel; remnant

HSK 5

Evil/death radical. Found in 死 (death), 残 (disabled/cruel), 殊 (special/distinct).

Dry fractured bones — the image of death, decay, and misfortune.

夕: 歹 is broken diagonal bone evoking death; 夕 is an evening crescent moon — similar shape but very different meaning.

What radical is this: 歹?