二点 (èr diǎn) — two-dot component (radical 冫) in Chinese characters

Definition

二点 is the name of the two-dot radical 冫 (radical 15), the 'ice' component on the left side of characters like 冰 and 冷. Learners often meet it through calligraphy and stroke-order instruction rather than daily reading.

noun
two-dot component (radical 冫) in Chinese characters
Easily confused

Examples

  • 二点。
    Zhè ge zì de zuǒ biān shì èr diǎn.
    The left side of this character is the two-dot component.
  • 二点。
    èr diǎn Zài hàn zì lǐ cháng biǎo shì hán lěng de yì si.
    The two-dot component in Chinese characters often indicates coldness.
  • “”二点。
    Xiě "bīng" de shí hou yào xiān xiě èr diǎn.
    When writing 'ice', you should write the two-dot component first.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

二èrtwo
点diǎndot

二 means two and 点 means dot, naming the two-dot radical component.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

二 is drawn as two parallel strokes, where the number of strokes shows the amount.

Open 二 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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