# Chinese Radicals & Their Changing Forms: Quick Reference

A one-glance chart of 36 everyday radicals, the shapes they take inside characters, and the characters they build

Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-radicals-quick-reference

## At a glance

- Level: Beginner · HSK 1
- Format: Reference guide · PDF · 6 pages · US Letter (prints on A4)
- Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Oct 8, 2026

## Download

Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-radicals-quick-reference. SayMei emails a copy too.

## A line from the workbook

这个字的部首是什么？ (Zhège zì de bùshǒu shì shénme?) — What is the radical of this character?

## By the end you can

- Spot 36 everyday radicals in their full and changed forms, like 水 → 氵 and 火 → 灬
- Guess the meaning family of a new character from its radical
- Tell look-alikes apart, like 氵 and 冫 or 礻 and 衤, and call each one by its Chinese name

## What's inside

- Chart 1: Reference: Left-Side Forms With New Shapes
- Chart 2: Reference: Top, Bottom and Right-Side Forms
- Chart 3: Reference: Left-Side Forms That Slim Down
- Chart 4: Reference: Look-Alikes and Their Names

## Who it's for

Beginners who know a little Mandarin and want to use it in real conversations.

## Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 6-page PDF is free, and the first two pages are on this page to look at before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

## Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can take a free lesson with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

## How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

## Can I print copies for my class?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

Version 2026-10, updated Oct 8, 2026.