你
nǐ · you · HSK 1
A person points to the amber-hatted friend: you are 你.
Chinese radical · Beginner guide
亻 (rén) — the person radical
亻 is the squeezed side form of 人 (person). It usually marks a person, a human action, or a body posture — if you see 亻 on the left, the character is probably about people doing something.
亻 is the squeezed side form of 人. Space forces the change: a full 人 won't fit beside another component, so it compresses into 2 strokes on the left — the same idea in a side form, not a new component.
Why it matters
76 of InkSeal's 1,799 HSK 1–6 characters contain this component — learn it once, recognize it everywhere.
Beginner characters with 亻
Each of these HSK 1–3 characters contains 亻. Tap through for the full visual mnemonic, common words, and example sentences.
他
tā · he / him · HSK 1
A standing person points to another person and says: “He is over there.”
们
mén · plural marker for people · HSK 1
One person 亻 opens the door 门 and suddenly it becomes ‘we, they, people’ — 们.
做
zuò · to do / to make · HSK 1
A person 亻 does the work: shaping 古 with a tapping 攵 tool to make something new.
什
shén · what · HSK 1
A person 亻 reaches a cross 十 and wonders: what now?
候
hòu · to wait / time · HSK 1
A person waits by one tall watch pole, watching the arrow mark the time.
作
zuò · to make / to do · HSK 1
A person (亻) standing at a workbench (乍) is actively MAKING a new piece of WORK.
住
zhù · to live / to reside · HSK 1
A person stays where the host’s warm lamp is lit.
体
tǐ · body / form · HSK 1
A person’s root is the body.
假
jiǎ / jià · fake / false · HSK 1
A person 亻 becomes fake when they borrow a mask-like 叚.
休
xiū · to rest · HSK 1
A person beside a tree takes a rest: 休.
但
dàn · but / however · HSK 2
A person sees the dawn, but pauses before going on.
More radicals to learn
口 (mouth) · 扌 (hand) · 氵 (water) · 木 (wood) · 讠 (speech) — or start from the beginner's guide to all 40 radicals.
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