攵 points to rap.
failure; to decline, to fail, to suffer defeat
COMMON WORD打败 · to defeat; to overpower; to beat; to be defeatedOpen 败 character →The 贝 Character Family
贝 recurs in these common characters. Use it to notice a pattern, then check each character’s own pronunciation and tone.
贝 is a sound clue; the left component changes the meaning.
Learn the semantic clue, then open the character page to practise it in context.
土 points to earth.
embankment; dam
COMMON WORD坝 · (used in place names) plain; flatland; (dialect) sandbar; shoal; dam; dike; embankmentOpen 坝 character →犭 points to dog.
a legendary wolf; distressed, wretched
COMMON WORD狼狈 · in a difficult situation; to cut a sorry figure; scoundrel! (derog.)Open 狈 character →戎 points to weapons.
thief, traitor; cunning, sly
COMMON WORD贼 · thief; robber; (bound form) traitor; subversive; (bound form) evil; wicked; sly; shifty; devious; (literary) to harm; to injure; (coll.) extremely; insanely; damn (common in NE China and Taiwan)Open 贼 character →敖 points to leisure.
unnecessary, superfluous
COMMON WORD累赘 · superfluous; cumbersome; a burden on sb; a nuisance to sb; to inconvenience; to tie sb downOpen 赘 character →钅 points to metal.
barium
Open 钡 character →Start with these six high-value examples, then open the complete 7-character family when you are ready.
View all 7 family characters →How should I study the 贝 character family?
Compare the meaning-side component, then learn every member in a common word. The shared component is a memory aid, not a fixed pronunciation rule.