The Roof FamilyRadical 宀
Under one roof, the whole cosmos
ShuowenShuowen: “宀, a deep house with crossing slopes. Pictograph.”
宀 is the pictograph of a roof: two slopes crossing, one beam within. It hardly stands alone, yet it is the warmest radical in the script — 家, 安, 宁, 室, 宇, 宙: under the roof live all the Chinese ideals of dwelling. And the family ends astonishingly: 宇 grew into “space”, 宙 into “time” — from one house, the ancients measured the whole universe.
The Root Character · Reading “宀” in Three Layers
See the form
Two slopes of roof crossing downward — the oracle 宀 is a house in section.
Read the logic
宀 covers the top of a character: over 豕 it is 家 “home”; over 女 it is 安 “peace”; over 子 it is 字 “character” — one roof, entirely different lives beneath it.
Grasp the wisdom
The traditional 寧 (宁): roof, heart, dish and stand — the dishes set, the heart at rest. The Chinese idea of happiness: first settle the dwelling, then delight in the work.
The Making of a Glyph
- Oracle boneTwo roof slopes crossing — a house in section.
- BronzeThe roof widens, pressing down.
- Small sealRounded lines, four corners even.
- Clerical & regularDot, bar and hook: 宀.
Glyphs are schematic reconstructions, not rubbings.
The Chain of Dwellings
From cave to palace, to the “cosmos” itself — the history of Chinese dwelling ends by growing a worldview.
From cave to cosmic mansionShuowen: “an earthen room.”
The age of the cave — humanity’s first “real estate” was taken downward, into the ground.
Character Assembly · Two Parts Become One
When two parts walk toward each other, a new character is born. Watch how they meet.
家 jiā
FormA pig (豕) under the roof (宀).
LogicThe pig was farming’s steadiest asset — with a pig, the home was stable.
Wisdom家 is not the house: it is something alive under the roof, a fire in the hearth, a tomorrow.
安 ān
FormA woman (女) under the roof (宀).
LogicShuowen: “安, stillness — a woman in the house.”
WisdomWhere the heart rests, there is peace — and the heart lives at home.
字 zì
FormA child (子) under the roof (宀).
LogicThe root meaning is nurture — Shuowen: “字, to bring forth.” Characters begetting characters are like children under a roof, hence “字”.
WisdomCharacters begetting characters, like children under a roof — the whole science of character origins this site teaches begins inside this one character.
宿 sù
FormUnder the roof (宀), a person (亻) staying the night.
LogicShuowen: “宿, to stop” — to stop and pass the night.
WisdomA traveller home through wind and snow — no roof is kinder. 宿 is the Chinese embrace of the night-guest.
Branches of the Family
Hover (or tap) a character to see what it means.
Under the Roof
One roof, growing quiet, deep and far.
- 宗
- 宸
- 宏
- 察
- 寞
- 寂
- 寥
- 宴
Words of Rest
The roof’s oldest function: setting the heart at rest.
- 安
- 宁
- 守
- 完
- 宜
- 寓
- 实
- 寤
Who Lives Under It
The people under the roof, each with their fate.
- 客
- 宾
- 宰
- 宦
- 富
- 寒
- 灾
- 宿
「Would that ten million mansions stood, sheltering all the poor of the world with smiling faces.」
—— Du Fu
「Wherever my heart is at peace, there is my home.」
—— Su Shi