🔍 Variant Origins

Let’s reveal the answer — and see how these compact radicals help form full kanji.

Origin	Variant	Usage
Heart	Left	Used for feelings or mind ・ ・
Sword	Right	Used for cutting or control ・ ・

Now you see how complex kanji take shape — and why kanji is all about meaning.

・心 (heart) → 忄 (りっしんべん) ... on the left;
・刀 (sword) → 刂 (りっとう) ... on the right.

Each keeps its original meaning but takes a more compact form to fit smoothly within kanji.

Many left-side radicals (へん) are such simplified variants. Here’s a helpful table of common examples:

Kanji	Variant	Name / Meaning
		にんべん (person)
		さんずい (water)
		てへん (hand)
		しめすへん (point out)
		こざとへん (terrain / hill)
		けものへん (animal)
		ころもへん (clothing)

These are typical hen (left-side) radicals, and recognizing their meanings gives you an edge in reading kanji.

✨ More Variant Radicals:

Radicals don’t always appear on the left. Some are found on the right, top, or bottom — and they’re named differently depending on where they sit.

　・つくり (right)
　・かんむり (top)
　・あし (bottom)
　・たれ (top-left wrap)
　・にょう (bottom-left wrap)
　・かまえ (enclosure)

Radicals aren’t just visual elements — they’re meaningful fragments that reveal how kanji are built. Some are trimmed-down forms of full kanji. Others change shape depending on where they sit. By learning these patterns — especially the variant radicals — you’re not just memorizing strokes… you’re reading the logic behind the language.

Quick Quiz:
Which of the following should not be a pair?

• 1. 心 → 忄
• 2. 刀 → 刂
• 3. 水 → 氵
• 4. 土 → 阝