seoi2氵
Jyutpingseoi2
Yaleséui
Definition
The Kangxi radical representing water, as written on the left side of a character.
colloquialother
How it's used
People almost exclusively refer to this radical as 三點水 rather than using the formal name 氵. It is a fundamental building block for characters related to liquids or water, such as 海 or 河. When describing a character to someone, you can simply say the character has 三點水 to help them visualize the left side.
Measure word
go3個goRelated words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 冫, which is called 兩點水 and is used in characters like 冷 or 冰. Beginners often mistake the two because they look visually similar, but they represent different radicals with distinct meanings.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- How oftenUsually, sometimes, all the time, rarely, never. All five sit in one slot, between the subject and the verb.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
