sau2扌
Jyutpingsau2
Yalesáu
Definition
The hand radical, the written form of the Kangxi radical used on the left side of a Chinese character.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the graphic component used in Chinese characters, known as the 'hand radical'. It is almost exclusively used when discussing orthography, character structure, or teaching Chinese literacy. When describing a character to someone, it is standard to call it 提手旁 to distinguish it from the full character 手.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the name of the radical with the character itself. Always use the term 提手旁 when describing the radical in conversation to avoid ambiguity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
