When the formation data identifies 方 as semantic, the relevant character record states that role.
← All 214 radical families
Semantic role Phonetic role Radical classification
方
Radical 70 of 214 · 4 strokes
Square
fāng
Unicode uses 方 as a Kangxi radical category. Its reference meaning is a square, rectangle; a region; local. The relationship to an individual character may be semantic, historical, or primarily classificatory.
8 course characters55 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
8 course characters
Expand a character to view its structure, formation analysis, and related HSK words.
Showing 8 characters.
旅lǚjourney, trip; to travelDetails+
pictographic formation
Formation: Pictograph of soldiers marching beneath a flag. The original meaning was "army brigade", but later shifted to "travel".
- 㫃Pictographic componentflag
- 人Pictographic componentperson
- 人Pictographic componentperson
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方 + 氏
HSK words with 旅2 words in this course
旁pángside; beside, close, nearbyDetails+
formation note
Formation: 方 (fāng; square; side) is both a meaning and a sound component. The meaning of the top part of the character is unclear.
- ◎Role unclearcharacterless component
- 方Phonetic componentsquare; direction; side
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 立 + 方
HSK words with 旁1 word in this course
方fāngsquare, rectangle; side; region; flagDetails+
formation note
Formation: Origin unclear. Variously explained as a pictograph of a square tool, a part of a knife, or a raft.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 亠
HSK words with 方22 words in this course
於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!Details+
formation note
Formation: Originally a variant form of 烏 (crow). The current use as a function word is a phonetic loan.
Formation source · Dong Chinese Lexicon- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方
HSK words with 於17 words in this course
族zúrace, nationality, ethnicity; tribe, clanDetails+
semantic formation
Formation: Depicts a flag (㫃) representing a clan and an arrow (矢) representing their military power.
- 㫃Semantic componentflag
- 矢Semantic componentarrow
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方 + 矢
HSK words with 族3 words in this course
施shīto grant, to bestow; to act; surnameDetails+
semantic–phonetic
Formation: Phonosemantic compound. 㫃 represents the meaning and 也 represents the sound.
- 㫃Semantic componentflag
- 也Phonetic componentalso
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方 + 㐌
HSK words with 施5 words in this course
旋xuánto revolve, to orbit, to returnDetails+
compound formation
Compound formation: An army 方 marching under a flag 疋
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方 + 疋
HSK words with 旋3 words in this course
旗qíbanner, flag, streamerDetails+
semantic–phonetic
Semantic–phonetic formation: 方 contributes the broad semantic category “square”; 其 contributes the historical pronunciation.
- Category radical
- 方 square
- Visual structure
- 方 + 其
HSK words with 旗2 words 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.