黑 · hēi

black

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#203

Kangxi

12

Strokes

#153

Frequency

Visual hint

Soot or black coal: black burnt strokes below and smoke rising above — the black of charcoal.

Suggests black color, darkness, evil, or something burned.

varies

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

黑

3 examples

黑

hēi

black; dark

HSK 1

默

mò

silent; tacit; mute

HSK 4

墨

mò

ink; Chinese ink

HSK 5

Black radical. Found in 黑 (black), 默 (silent/tacit), 墨 (ink/calligraphy).

Fire blazing leaves black charcoal: a darkened smoky hearth — the black of burning and night.

暗: 黑 is inherent black color; 暗 is dark due to lack of light — one is color, one is a state.

What radical is this: 黑?