Kangxi Radical Corpse

⼫ is the radical symbol for the Han character part 尸.

Japanese references also call the radical しかばね (“corpse”) or しかばねかんむり (“corpse radical”). Some use it to group characters connected with people, so a character filed under this part need not mean death.

The graph is older than Kangxi’s dictionary system. Its older forms appear in oracle-bone inscriptions (writing cut into bones for divination) and bronze inscriptions, including an example from the late Shang period of early Chinese history. The Han-era Shuowen, an early Chinese dictionary, explains 尸 as a reclining figure or something laid out. Its commentary links the character to a living person who represented the dead in a ritual and to the later corpse-on-a-bed form 屍.

How does ⼫ differ from 尸?

⼫ is the indexing symbol; 尸 is the Han character.

⼫ is a dedicated symbol used to index the component 尸; 尸 is the Han character that can be written as a word or used as a component. A radical marks a category, while the Han character is the form used in ordinary writing.

The radical reference form follows a Kangxi style. The corresponding Han character can have locale-specific forms in fonts and applications, so the two may look nearly identical or more distinct. Compare character identity rather than relying on the silhouette alone.

When should I use ⼫?

Use ⼫ in radical indexes and character-analysis notes.

It belongs in a reference that explicitly names the radical. In ordinary writing, use the complete Han character required by the word; the radical symbol is not a substitute for 尸.