Radical 140

艸
← 139 Radical 140 (U+2F8B) 141 →
艸 (U+8278) "grass"
Pronunciations
Pinyin:	cǎo
Bopomofo:	ㄘㄠˇ
Gwoyeu Romatzyh:	tsao
Wade–Giles:	tsʻao3
Cantonese Yale:	chóu
Jyutping:	cou2
Japanese Kana:	ソウ sō (on'yomi) くさ kusa (kun'yomi)
Sino-Korean:	초 cho
Hán-Việt:	thảo
Names
Chinese name(s):	(艹) 草字頭/草字头 cǎozìtóu
Japanese name(s):	草/くさ kusa (艹) 草冠/くさかんむり kusakanmuri
Hangul:	풀 pul
Stroke order animation

Radical 140 or radical grass (艸部) meaning "grass" is one of 29 of the 214 Kangxi radicals that are composed of 6 strokes. It transforms into 艹 when appearing at the top of a character or component. In the Kangxi Dictionary and in modern standard Traditional Chinese as used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, 艹 (with two horizontal strokes) consists of four strokes, while in Simplified Chinese and modern Japanese, 艹 (with a continuous horizontal stroke) consists of three strokes.

In the Kangxi Dictionary there are 1902 characters (out of 40,000) found under this radical, making it the most commonly used radical.

艹, the upper component form of 艸, is the 30th indexing component in the Table of Indexing Chinese Character Components predominantly adopted by Simplified Chinese dictionaries published in mainland China, while 艸 is listed as its associated indexing component.

Evolution

• 
  Small seal script character

Derived characters

Strokes	Characters
+0	艸 (=草) 艹
+1	艺SC (=藝)
+2	艻 艼 艽 艾 艿 芀 (=苕) 芁 (=𦫶) 节SC (=節 -> 竹)
+3	芃 芄 芅 芆 芇 芈SC (=羋 -> 羊) 芉 芊 芋 芌 (=芋) 芍 芎 芏 芐 芑 芒 芓 芔 (=卉 -> 十) 芕 (=芍) 芖 芗SC (=薌)
+4	芘 芙 芚 芛 芜SC (=蕪) 芝 芞 芟 芠 芡 芢 芣 芤 芥 芦SC (=蘆) 芧 芨 芩 芪 芫 芬 芭 芮 芯 芰 花 芲 (=花 菕 蒼) 芳 芴 芵 芶 芷 芸 (also JP form of 藝) 芹 芺 芻 芼 芽 芾 苀 苁SC (=蓯) 苂 苃 苄 苅 (=刈 -> 刀) 苆 苇SC (=葦) 苈SC (=藶) 苉 苊 苋SC (=莧) 苌SC (=萇) 苍SC (=蒼) 苎SC (=苧) 苏SC (=蘇) 茾
+5	芿 苐 苑 苒 苓 苔 苕 苖 苗 苘 (=檾 -> 木) 苙 苚 苛 苜 苝 苞 苟 苠 苡 苢 (=苡) 苣 苤 若 苦 苧 (also SC form of 薴) 苨 苩 苪 苫 苬 苭 苮 苯 苰 英 苲 苳 苴 苵 苶 苷 苸 苹SC (=蘋) 苺 (=莓) 苻 苼 苽 (=菰 / 瓜 -> 瓜) 苾 苿 茀 茁 茂 范SC (=範 -> 竹) 茄 茅 茆 茇 茈 茉 茊 茋 茌 茍 茎SC (=莖) 茏SC (=蘢) 茐 (=蔥) 茑SC (=蔦) 茓 茔SC (=塋 -> 土) 茕SC (=煢 -> 火)
+6	茒 茖 茗 茘 (=荔) 茙 茚 茛 茜 茞 茟 茠 (=薅) 茡 茢 茤 茥 茦 茧SC/JP (=繭 -> 糸) 茨 茩 茪 茫 茬 茭 茮 茯 茰 茱 茲 茳 茴 茵 茶 茷 茸 茹 茺 茻 茼 茽 茿 荀 荁 荂 荃 荄 荅 荆SC (=荊) 荇 荈 草 荊 荋 荌 荍 荎 荏 荐SC (=薦) 荑 荒 荔 荕 荖 荗 荘JP (=莊) 荙SC (=薘) 荚SC (=莢) 荛SC (=蕘) 荜SC (=蓽) 荝 (=萴) 荞SC (=蕎) 荟SC (=薈) 荠SC (=薺) 荡SC (=蕩) 荢 (=茡) 荣SC (=榮 -> 木) 荤SC (=葷) 荥SC (=滎 -> 水) 荦SC (=犖 -> 牛) 荧SC (=熒 -> 火) 荨SC (=蕁) 荩SC (=藎) 荪SC (=蓀) 荫SC (=蔭) 荬SC (=蕒) 荭SC (=葒) 荮SC (=葤) 药SC (=藥)
+7	茝 茣 荰 荱 荲 荳 (=豆 -> 豆) 荴 荵 荶 荷 荸 荹 荺 荻 荼 荽 荾 荿 莀 莁 莂 莃 莄 莅SC (=蒞) 莆 莇 莈 莉 莊 莋 莌 莍 莎 莏 莐 莑 莒 莓 莔 莕 莖 莗 莘 莙 莚 莛 莜 莝 莞 莟 莠 莡 莢 莣 莤 莥 莦 莧 莨 莩 莪 莫 莬 莮 莯 莰 莱SC (=萊) 莲SC (=蓮) 莳SC (=蒔) 莴SC (=萵) 莵 (=菟) 莶SC (=薟) 获SC (=獲 -> 犬 / 穫 -> 禾) 莸SC (=蕕) 莹SC (=瑩 -> 玉) 莺SC (=鶯 -> 鳥) 莻 莼SC (=蓴) 莽
+8	荓 莾 (=莽) 莿 菀 菁 菂 菃 菄 菅 菆 菇 菈 菉 菊 菋 菌 菍 菎 菏 菐 菑 菒 菓 (=果 -> 木) 菔 菕 菖 菗 菘 菙 菚 菛 菜 菝 菞 菟 菠 菡 菢 菣 菤 菥 菦 (=芹) 菧 菨 菩 菪 菫 (=蓳) 菬 菭 菮 華 菰 菱 菲 菳 菴 菵 菶 菷 (=帚 -> 巾) 菸 菹 菺 菻 菼 菽 菾 菿 萀 萁 萂 萃 萄 萅 (=春 -> 日) 萆 萇 萈 萉 萊 萋 萌 萍 萎 萏 萐 萑 萒 萓 萔 (=苕) 萕JP nonstandard (=薺) 萖 (=莞) 萗 萘 萙 萚SC (=蘀) 萛 萜 萝SC (=蘿) 萞 萟 萠 萡 萢 萣 萤SC (=螢 -> 虫) 营SC (=營 -> 火) 萦SC (=縈 -> 糸) 萧SC (=蕭) 萨SC (=薩) 著
+9	莭 萩 萪 萫 萭 萮 萯 萰 萱 萲 (=萱) 萳 萴 萵 萶 萷 (=梢 -> 木) 萸 萹 萺 萻 萼 落 萾 萿 葀 葁 (=薑) 葂 葃 葄 葅 (=菹) 葆 葇 葈 葉 葊 葋 葌 葍 葎 葏 葐 葑 葒 葓 葔 葕 葖 葘 (=菑) 葙 葚 葛 葜 葝 葞 葟 葠 (=蔘) 葡 葢 (=蓋) 董 葤 葥 葦 葧 葨 葩 葪 葫 葬 葭 葮 葯 葰 葱SC (=蔥) 葲 葳 葴 葵 葶 葷 葸 葹 葺 葻 葼 葽 葾 葿 蒀 蒁 蒂 蒃 蒄 蒅 蒆 蒇SC (=蕆) 蒈 蒉SC (=蕢) 蒊 蒋SC (=蔣) 蒌SC (=蔞) 蒍 蒎 蒏 (=醟 -> 酉)
+10	蒋JP (=蔣) 蒐 蒑 蒒 蒓 蒔 蒕 (=蒀) 蒖 蒗 蒘 蒙 蒚 蒛 蒜 蒝 蒞 蒟 蒠 蒡 蒢 蒣 蒤 蒥 蒦 蒧 蒨 蒩 蒪 蒫 蒬 蒭 (=芻) 蒮 蒯 蒰 蒱 蒲 蒳 蒴 蒵 蒶 蒷 蒹 蒺 蒻 蒼 蒽 蒾 蒿 蓀 蓁 蓂 蓃 蓄 蓅 蓆 蓇 蓈 蓉 蓊 蓋 蓌 蓍 蓎 蓏 蓐 蓑 蓒 蓓 蓔 蓕 蓖 蓗 蓘 蓙 蓚 蓛 蓜 蓝SC (=藍) 蓞 (=萏) 蓟SC (=薊) 蓠SC (=蘺) 蓡 (=參 -> 厶) 蓢 蓣SC (=蕷) 蓤 蓦SC (=驀 -> 馬)
+11	蓥SC (=鎣 -> 金) 蓧 蓨 蓩 蓪 蓫 蓬 蓭 (=庵 -> 广) 蓮 蓯 蓰 蓱 蓲 蓳 蓴 蓵 蓶 蓷 蓸 蓹 蓺 蓻 蓼 蓽 蓾 蓿 蔀 蔁 蔂 (=虆) 蔃 蔄 蔅 蔆 (=菱) 蔇 蔈 蔉 蔊 蔋 蔌 蔍 蔎 蔏 蔐 蔑 蔒 (=葷) 蔓 蔔 蔕 (=蒂) 蔖 蔗 蔘 蔙 蔚 蔛 蔜 蔝 蔞 蔟 蔠 蔡 蔢 蔣 蔤 蔥 蔦 蔧 蔨 蔩 蔪 蔫 蔬 蔭 蔮 蔯 蔰 蔱 (=樧 -> 木) 蔲 蔳 蔴 (=麻 -> 麻) 蔵JP (=藏) 蔶 蔷SC (=薔) 蔸 蔹SC (=蘞) 蔺SC (=藺) 蔻 蔼SC (=藹)
+12	蔽 蔾 (=藜) 蔿 (=蒍) 蕀 蕁 蕂 蕃 蕄 蕅 蕆 蕇 蕈 蕉 蕊 蕋 (=蕊) 蕌 (=藟) 蕍 蕎 蕏 蕐 蕑 蕒 蕓 蕔 蕕 蕖 蕗 蕘 蕙 蕚 (=萼) 蕛 蕜 蕝 蕞 蕟 蕠 蕡 蕢 蕣 蕤 蕥 蕦 蕧 蕨 蕩 蕪 蕫 蕬 蕭 蕮 蕯 蕰SC (=薀) 蕱 蕲SC (=蘄) 蕳 蕴SC (=蘊) 蕵 (=薞)
+13	蕶 蕷 蕸 蕹 蕺 蕻 蕼 蕽 蕾 蕿 (=萱) 薀 薁 薂 薃 薄 薅 薆 薇 薈 薉 薊 薋 薌 薍 薎 薏 薐 薑 薒 薓 薔 薕 薖 薗 (=園 -> 囗) 薘 薙 薚 薛 薜 薝 薞 薟 薠 薡 薢 薣 薤 薥 薦 薧 薨 薪 薫JP (=薰) 薬JP (=藥) 薮SC/JP (=藪)
+14	薩 薭 薯 薰 薱 薲 (=蘋) 薳 薴 薵 薶 薷 薸 薹 薺 薻 薼 薽 薾 薿 藀 藁 藂 藃 藄 藅 藆 藇 藈 藉 藊 藋 藌 藍 藎 藏 藐 藑 藒 藓SC (=蘚) 蘤 (=花)
+15	藔 藕 藖 藗 藘 藙 藚 藛 藜 藝 藞 藟 藠 藡 (=荻) 藢 藣 藤 藥 藦 藧 藨 藩 藪 藫 藬 藭 藯 藰 藱 藲 (=櫙 -> 木) 藳 藴 (=蘊) 藵
+16	藮 (=樵 -> 木) 藶 藷 藸 藹 藺 藻 藼 (=萱) 藽 藾 藿 蘀 蘁 蘂 (=蕊) 蘃 蘄 蘅 蘆 蘇 蘈 蘉 蘊 蘋 蘌 (=篽 -> 竹) 蘍 (=薰) 蘎 蘏 蘐 (=萱) 蘑 蘓 (=蘇) 蘔 蘢
+17	蘒JP 蘕 蘖 (=櫱 -> 木) 蘗 蘘 蘙 蘚 蘛 蘜 (=菊) 蘝 (=蘞) 蘞 蘟 蘠 蘡 蘣 蘥 蘦 蘧 蘨 蘩 蘪 蘫 蘬 蘭 蘮 蘯 (=蕩) 蘰
+18	蘲 (=虆) 蘳 蘴 (=葑) 蘵 蘶 蘷 (=夔 -> 夊)
+19	蘱 蘸 蘹 蘺 蘻 蘼 蘽 蘾 蘿 虀 虁 (=夔 -> 夊)
+20	虂 虃 虄 虅
+21	虆 虇 虈 虉
+23	虊
+25	虋 虌

Variant forms

This radical character is written differently in different languages. Traditionally, breaking the horizontal stroke in 艹 is optional in both printing and written forms. The Kangxi Dictionary adopted the four-stroke form ⺿.

In today's Simplified Chinese, only the three-stroke form 艹 is used; The four-stroke form ⺿ is treated as an obsolete typeface form after the adoption of xin zixing. In modern Traditional Chinese as used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, the four-stroke form ⺿ is standard, while the three-stroke form is still overwhelmingly preferred in publications.

In Japanese, only the three-stroke form is used for jōyō kanji (commonly used Chinese characters); the three-stroke form is recommended for hyōgai kanji, while the four-stroke form is listed as an acceptable "design difference" in Hyōgai Kanji Jitaihyō (表外漢字字体表) and JIS X 0208.

In addition, 䒑 is derived from the cursive form of 艹.

• 
  Standard stroke order in Taiwan Chinese
• 
  Stroke order in Simplified Chinese and Japanese

Sinogram

The radical is also used as an independent Chinese character. It is one of the kyōiku kanji or kanji taught in elementary school in Japan.^[1] It is a first grade kanji.^[1]

References

References

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