字 Hanzi Forge

Radical guide

Learn the parts that keep coming back.

The first Hanzi Forge set is built around reusable visual parts. Start with the components below, then open a character page to see the part in context.

Play the trail Browse characters

Component map

Use radicals as visual anchors.

A component is not just a dictionary label. On Hanzi Forge, it is a shape you can reuse: spot it, compare it, then open a full character page to connect it with meaning and writing.

  1. Spot the repeated part Look for a component that appears in several starter characters, such as a mouth, person, or tree shape.
  2. Compare two characters Open two pages that share the part and ask what changed around it: position, partner component, or meaning.
  3. Write one example After you understand the part, use the stroke page to practice one character that contains it.

Component route

Study by recurring parts, not isolated lists.

Each route starts with a visual part and fans out to characters that reuse it. This gives the radical page a practical order for review.

Reusable components to notice first

Common components in the starter set.

The groups below show which visual parts repeat often, with direct links to characters that use them.

女 6 characters Example: 好 good 木 6 characters Example: 林 woods 人 6 characters Example: 从 from 日 5 characters Example: 明 bright 氵 5 characters Example: 河 river 青 5 characters Example: 请 please

Keep studying from here

After you notice a component, connect it to a playable trail, a writing routine, and the full library.

Play Starter 50 trail Practice components by building complete characters. Write Stroke order practice Turn component recognition into handwriting memory. Browse Character library Open every starter character page from one index.

Radical questions

Radical questions

Are radicals and components the same thing?

Not always. A radical is a formal dictionary part, while a component is any reusable visual part that helps you understand or remember a character.

Should beginners learn radicals first?

Learn a small set while you study real characters. Components are most useful when you see them inside words and examples.

Why do some parts change shape?

Parts often compress or shift when they move left, right, top, or bottom. Comparing related characters makes those changes easier to notice.

Radical guide

Reusable components to notice first

Use each component card as a doorway into a real character page, not as an isolated flashcard.