Build Chinese characters from radicals across 3 difficulty levels — Normal, Hard & Hell
Build the target Chinese character by selecting the correct radicals (components) for each structural position. Every character is broken into its constituent parts — pick the right combination to advance!
2-component characters. Simple left-right or top-bottom structures. Each position shows 8 radical options (2 rows × 4 columns). Perfect for beginners learning basic character construction.
Example: 休 = 亻 + 木 (person + tree = rest)
3-component characters. Characters that split into three parts (triple-stacked or multi-level structures). Each position shows 6 radical options (2 rows × 3 columns). Requires deeper understanding of character decomposition.
Example: 森 = 木 + 木 + 木 (tree × 3 = dense forest)
4-component characters. Complex characters with four distinct parts. Each position shows 6 radical options (2 rows × 3 columns). The ultimate challenge for Hanzi masters!
Example: 照 = 日 + 刀 + 口 + 灬 (sun + knife + mouth + fire = illuminate)
Chinese characters follow predictable patterns. Understanding these makes building characters much easier:
The most common pattern. A component on the left and a component on the right.
Example: 休 (rest) = 亻 + 木 — "a person leaning against a tree"
Components stacked vertically. Top part often indicates the category.
Example: 花 (flower) = 艹 + 化 — "grass on top, transform below"
Three identical components stacked. Usually means "abundance" or "crowd" of the base meaning.
Example: 晶 (crystal) = 日 + 日 + 日 — "three suns = brilliant light"
Complex characters with 4+ distinct parts. Common in Hell difficulty. Each part contributes to the overall meaning.
Example: 蕊 (stamen) = 艹 + 心 + 心 + 心 — "grass crown above three hearts"
These radicals appear frequently across all difficulty levels. Learn them for a huge advantage:
Don't memorize characters — learn what each radical MEANS. Water radical (氵) means liquids; Fire radical (火/灬) means heat; Grass radical (艹) means plants. Pattern recognition beats memorization every time.
Each character displays a structure badge (Left-Right or Top-Bottom). Use it to narrow down which radicals go where. A left-right character needs a left-side radical and a right-side radical — not random picks!
Complete Normal mode first to build radical recognition skills. The same radicals appear across all levels — once you know 亻, 木, 氵, and 口, you're set for most challenges.
At only -5 points, hints are cheap. If you've failed twice, the game auto-reveals the answer anyway. Use hint strategically on unfamiliar characters rather than brute-forcing.
Not at all! Hanzi Match teaches you as you play. Start with Normal level (2-part characters) and work your way up. The game introduces complexity gradually.
Use the Hint button (💡) for -5 points to see the answer. If you fail twice, the game gives you a free hint. You can also Skip (⏭) any character with no penalty except losing your streak.
Complete all characters in your current difficulty level. Once you finish Normal, Hard unlocks. Beat Hard to unlock Hell. Your progress is saved in your browser.
Start building characters now!