Radical 148 (鬥) is one of the 214 Kangxi radicals used in the traditional Chinese dictionary compiled under the Kangxi Emperor (1716–1722). It is indexed as the 148th radical and is associated with the meaning “fight,” “strife,” or “discord.”
Classification
- Radical number: 148
- Unicode: U+9B25 (鬥)
- Stroke count: 10 strokes
Structure and Etymology
The radical depicts a stylized representation of two opponents engaged in combat. Historically, the character is thought to derive from ancient pictographs illustrating conflict or wrestling.
Usage in Chinese Characters
Radical 148 serves as a component in a number of complex characters, often imparting the semantic field of conflict, competition, or violence. Notable characters that include this radical are:
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鬧 (náo) | noisy, bustling, to make trouble | |
| 鬨 (lǜ) | sobbing, lamentation | |
| 鬭 (dòu) | to fight; to contend | |
| 鬮 (chóu) | to dispute; argument |
Dictionary Indexing
In the Kangxi Dictionary, entries containing radical 148 are listed under the “鬥部” (radical 148 section). Modern Chinese dictionaries and lexical databases, such as the Unihan Database, continue to index characters using the Kangxi radical system for historical reference.
Cultural Context
The concept of “斗” appears in various idiomatic expressions and classical literature, reflecting themes of competition and struggle, e.g., “鬥爭” (dòuzhēng) meaning “struggle” or “conflict.”
Related Information
- The radical is also employed in Japanese kanji (e.g., 鬥 is read as たたかう “tatakau” meaning “to fight”).
- In Korean Hanja, the character is read as “투” (tu) with a similar meaning.
References
- Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典), 1716.
- Unihan Database, Unicode Consortium.
- 《說文解字》 (Shuowen Jiezi) etymological entries.
