When the formation data identifies 乙 as semantic, the relevant character record states that role.
← All 214 radical families
Semantic role Phonetic role Radical classification
乙
Radical 5 of 214 · 1 stroke
Second
yǐ
Unicode uses 乙 as a Kangxi radical category. Its reference meaning is second; 2nd heavenly stem. The relationship to an individual character may be semantic, historical, or primarily classificatory.
11 course characters40 character–word links
Semantic–phonetic characters identify the component associated with historical pronunciation.
The primary dictionary radical is shown independently of any claim about modern meaning.
Character index
11 course characters
Expand a character to view its structure, formation analysis, and related HSK words.
Showing 11 characters.
九jiǔnineDetails+
formation note
Formation: Origin unclear. There are varied explanations of what 九 is meant to represent, including a hook, an elbow, and a hand reaching out to grab something.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 丿 + 乙
HSK words with 九1 word in this course
习xíto study, to practice; habitDetails+
formation note
Formation: Simplified form of 習. Origin unclear. The traditional component 白 was removed for simplification.
- 羽Role unclearfeather
- 白Removed in simplifiedwhite
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 冫
- Also indexed under
- 冫 ice
HSK words with 习8 words in this course
书shūbook, letter, document; writingDetails+
semantic–phonetic
Formation: Simplified form of 書. Phonosemantic compound. 聿 represents the meaning and 者 represents the sound.
- 聿Semantic componentwriting utensil
- 者Phonetic component-er; [one that...]
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 丨
- Also indexed under
- 丨 line
HSK words with 书9 words in this course
买mǎito buy, to purchase; to bribe, to persuadeDetails+
pictographic formation
Formation: Pictograph of money (貝) coming out of a netted bag (网). The simplified character 买 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 買.
- 网Pictographic componentnet
- 头Simplified formhead
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 乛 + 头
HSK words with 买1 word in this course
也yěalso, tooDetails+
formation note
Formation: Origin unclear. Variously explained as a pictograph of a snake, a vulva, a funnel, a crying child, or an ideograph depicting a pause in speech.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 乚
HSK words with 也2 words in this course
乾gānarid, dry; to fertilize; to penetrate; heavenly generative principle (male)Details+
formation note
Formation: 倝 is used to represent the sound. The purpose of the 乙 component is unclear.
- 倝Phonetic componentdawn
- 乙Role unclear2nd heavenly stem
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 龺 + 乞
HSK words with 乾6 words in this course
乱luànanarchy, chaos; revoltDetails+
pictographic formation
Formation: Simplified form of 亂. The left side of 亂 was simplified to the graphically similar 舌 (tongue).
- 舌Simplified formtongue
- ◎Pictographic componentcharacterless component
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 舌 + 乚
HSK words with 乱5 words in this course
亂luànanarchy, chaos; revoltDetails+
pictographic formation
Formation: Pictograph of two hands doing work with tangled threads.
- 爪Pictographic component(hand); claw; paw; foot
- 又Pictographic component(hand); again
- ◎Pictographic componentcharacterless component
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 爫 + 冂 + 厶 + 又 + 乚
HSK words with 亂5 words in this course
乙yǐsecond; 2nd heavenly stemDetails+
formation note
Formation: Origin unclear.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- Not available
HSK words with 乙1 word in this course
乞qǐto beg; to requestDetails+
formation note
Formation: Originally a variant of 气. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 乙
HSK words with 乞1 word in this course
乳rǔbreast, nipples; milk; to suckleDetails+
semantic–phonetic
Semantic–phonetic formation: 乚 contributes the broad semantic category “hidden”; 孚 contributes the historical pronunciation.
- Category radical
- 乙 second
- Visual structure
- 孚 + 乚
HSK words with 乳1 word in this course
Classification: Unicode 17.0 kRSUnicode. Structure: Make Me a Hanzi. Formation: Dong Chinese Lexicon where available, with a documented Make Me a Hanzi fallback. Method and licenses.