没
méi · not have / without · HSK 1
Something sinks into the water and disappears—now you don’t have it.
Chinese radical · Beginner guide
氵 (shuǐ) — the water radical
氵 is the squeezed side form of 水 (water) — three drops on the left of a character. It is one of the strongest meaning signals in Chinese: characters with 氵 usually involve water, liquids, or flowing things.
氵 is the squeezed side form of 水. Space forces the change: a full 水 won't fit beside another component, so it compresses into 3 strokes on the left — the same idea in a side form, not a new component.
Why it matters
82 of InkSeal's 1,799 HSK 1–6 characters contain this component — learn it once, recognize it everywhere.
Beginner characters with 氵
Each of these HSK 1–3 characters contains 氵. Tap through for the full visual mnemonic, common words, and example sentences.
汽
qì · steam / vapor · HSK 1
When liquid water (氵) heats up, it turns into gas (气) and rises as steam.
洗
xǐ · to wash / to bathe · HSK 1
To get clean, you need WATER (氵) FIRST (先).
渴
kě · thirsty / to thirst for · HSK 1
Under the hot 日, a tired figure longs for the three blue drops 氵 — that longing is 渴.
汉
hàn · Han Chinese / Chinese language · HSK 1
A hand (又) uses liquid water/ink (氵) to create Han (汉) culture.
活
huó · to live / alive · HSK 2
Water (氵) nourishing a sprouting seed (舌) brings it to life (活).
法
fǎ · law / method · HSK 2
Fair water stands level, and the unjust must go away: 法 means law or method.
游
yóu · to swim / to wander · HSK 2
Beside water drops, a child follows a drifting square banner—swimming and wandering: 游.
清
qīng · clear / pure · HSK 2
Clear (清) water (氵) reflects the pristine blue-green (青) nature.
酒
jiǔ · wine / liquor · HSK 2
Three drops of liquid fall into the old wine jar: 酒.
漂
piāo · to float / drift · HSK 2
A glowing 票-shaped lantern floats beside three drops of water: 漂 means to drift.
满
mǎn · full / filled · HSK 2
Water (氵) fills the basin (两) so FULL that grass (艹) sprouts abundantly from the brim.
Don't mix up 氵 and 冫
Three drops (氵) mean water and liquids; two drops (冫) mean ice and cold. Count the drops: 氵 has three, 冫 has two. Once you see it, the two are hard to confuse — water flows, ice freezes.
More radicals to learn
口 (mouth) · 扌 (hand) · 木 (wood) · 亻 (person) · 讠 (speech) — or start from the beginner's guide to all 40 radicals.
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