The thing in the left of 印


Kanji are made of radicals, right? But that "E" looking thing in the left of 印
doesn't seem to be a radical, for I looked at many radical databases and
didn't find anything like that. Is that a radical? If so, could you give me
another example of a kanji that uses it too? If possible, I would appreciate
if you told me the meaning of such radical, if it is indeed so.




Good answer from @jogloran - here's an idea of the glyph evolution in case
you're not convinced:

`[商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty)  
[甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4EE3U.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4EE3U.png)  
[乙](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)112  
[合集22148](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=22148&jgwfl=)``[春秋](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period)  
[金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BNATl.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BNATl.png)  
曾白簠  
[集成4631](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4631&jgwfl=)``[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty)  
[簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iyPRw.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iyPRw.png)  
秦律十八種  
[睡虎地秦簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts)``今  
[楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/McyqC.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/McyqC.png)  
  
`

「印」 is comprised of [a _hand_
「爪・爫」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=149) pressing down on
a [_kneeling person_
「卩」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=21830). Compare
[「妥」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=554).

* * *

A somewhat lengthy note about this idea of _radicals_...

### Kanji are made of radicals, right?

No, they're not. Sometimes this might be a convenient idea, but as you come
across some very common _kanji_ , you'll realise that this idea quickly
devolves into something misleading and downright false.

_Radicals_ (部首) are a collection of strokes that are purely for the purpose of
indexing characters under **dictionary section (部) headers (首)**. Most of the
time this collection of strokes resembles parts of characters, but this
collection of strokes is really just a collection of strokes - **they are
sometimes not even parts of the character they index**.

> **The idea that _kanji_ are made from radicals - a rapid descent into
> confusion.**
>
> _Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - A convenient idea
>
>   * 「酒」, radical 「酉」.
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[酒]{しゅ}」 ( _alcoholic beverage_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「水・氵」 ( _water > liquid_ ) and simultaneously semantic and phonetic
> 「[酉]{ゆ}」 ( _container for alcohol_ ).
>   * 「掌」, radical 「手」
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[掌]{しょう}」 ( _palm of hand_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「手」 ( _hand_ ) and phonetic 「[尚]{しょう}」.
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  _Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - A convenient
> idea
>
>   * 「問」, radical 「口」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[問]{もん}」 ( _to ask_ ) is made up from semantic
> 「口」 ( _mouth_ ) and phonetic 「[門]{もん}」.
>     * Radical decomposition: 「門」, 「口」
>   * 「信」, radical 「人・亻」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[信]{しん}」 ( _honest speech_ > _truthfulness_ >
> _trust_ ) is made up from semantic 「言」 ( _words, speech_ ) and phonetic
> 「[人]{じん}」.
>     * Radical decomposition: 「亻」, 「言」
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - An
> inconvenient fiction~~  
>  _Radicals are the part of a character which are grouped under dictionaries_
> - A convenient idea
>
>   * 「健」, radical 「人・亻」
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[健]{けん}」 ( _strong, healthy_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「人」 ( _person_ ) and phonetic 「[建]{けん}」.
>
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「亻」, 「廴」, 「聿」
>
>   * 「修」, radical 「人・亻」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[修]{しゅう}」 ( _to decorate_ > _fix up_ > _repair,
> mend_ ) is made up from semantic 「彡」 ( _patterns_ ) and phonetic 「[攸]{ゆう}」
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「亻」, 「丨」, 「攵」, 「彡」
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - An
> inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are the part of a character which are grouped under
> dictionaries_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  **Radicals are just a collection of strokes; they are sometimes not even
> part of the character they index.**
>
>   * 「爵」, radical 「爪・爫」
>     * Real decomposition: 「爵」 ( _alcohol vessel_ ) is a [picture of an
> alcohol vessel](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/34607/meaning-
> of-the-elements-of-%e7%88%b5-baron).
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「爫」, 「罒」, 「艮」, 「寸」
>   * 「年」, radical 「干」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[年]{ねん}」 ( _harvest_ > _year_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「禾」 (cereal crops) and phonetic 「[千]{せん}」, forming the character
> 「秊」. [「秊」 was later corrupted into the shape of
> 「年」](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/36968/18338).
>     * Radical "decomposition": uhhh....
>




Good answer from @jogloran - here's an idea of the glyph evolution in case
you're not convinced:

`[商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty)  
[甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4EE3U.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4EE3U.png)  
[乙](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)112  
[合集22148](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=22148&jgwfl=)``[春秋](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period)  
[金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BNATl.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BNATl.png)  
曾白簠  
[集成4631](http://www.guoxuedashi.com/yzjwjc/?bh=4631&jgwfl=)``[秦](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_dynasty)  
[簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_and_wooden_slips)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iyPRw.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/iyPRw.png)  
秦律十八種  
[睡虎地秦簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuihudi_Qin_bamboo_texts)``今  
[楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script)  
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/McyqC.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/McyqC.png)  
  
`

「印」 is comprised of [a _hand_
「爪・爫」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=149) pressing down on
a [_kneeling person_
「卩」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=21830). Compare
[「妥」](http://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=554).

* * *

A somewhat lengthy note about this idea of _radicals_...

### Kanji are made of radicals, right?

No, they're not. Sometimes this might be a convenient idea, but as you come
across some very common _kanji_ , you'll realise that this idea quickly
devolves into something misleading and downright false.

_Radicals_ (部首) are a collection of strokes that are purely for the purpose of
indexing characters under **dictionary section (部) headers (首)**. Most of the
time this collection of strokes resembles parts of characters, but this
collection of strokes is really just a collection of strokes - **they are
sometimes not even parts of the character they index**.

> **The idea that _kanji_ are made from radicals - a rapid descent into
> confusion.**
>
> _Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - A convenient idea
>
>   * 「酒」, radical 「酉」.
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[酒]{しゅ}」 ( _alcoholic beverage_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「水・氵」 ( _water > liquid_ ) and simultaneously semantic and phonetic
> 「[酉]{ゆ}」 ( _container for alcohol_ ).
>   * 「掌」, radical 「手」
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[掌]{しょう}」 ( _palm of hand_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「手」 ( _hand_ ) and phonetic 「[尚]{しょう}」.
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  _Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - A convenient
> idea
>
>   * 「問」, radical 「口」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[問]{もん}」 ( _to ask_ ) is made up from semantic
> 「口」 ( _mouth_ ) and phonetic 「[門]{もん}」.
>     * Radical decomposition: 「門」, 「口」
>   * 「信」, radical 「人・亻」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[信]{しん}」 ( _honest speech_ > _truthfulness_ >
> _trust_ ) is made up from semantic 「言」 ( _words, speech_ ) and phonetic
> 「[人]{じん}」.
>     * Radical decomposition: 「亻」, 「言」
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - An
> inconvenient fiction~~  
>  _Radicals are the part of a character which are grouped under dictionaries_
> - A convenient idea
>
>   * 「健」, radical 「人・亻」
>
>     * Real decomposition: 「[健]{けん}」 ( _strong, healthy_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「人」 ( _person_ ) and phonetic 「[建]{けん}」.
>
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「亻」, 「廴」, 「聿」
>
>   * 「修」, radical 「人・亻」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[修]{しゅう}」 ( _to decorate_ > _fix up_ > _repair,
> mend_ ) is made up from semantic 「彡」 ( _patterns_ ) and phonetic 「[攸]{ゆう}」
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「亻」, 「丨」, 「攵」, 「彡」
>

>
> ~~_Radicals provide meaning to a kanji_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are parts of kanji that inform sound or meaning_ - An
> inconvenient fiction~~  
>  ~~_Radicals are the part of a character which are grouped under
> dictionaries_ - An inconvenient fiction~~  
>  **Radicals are just a collection of strokes; they are sometimes not even
> part of the character they index.**
>
>   * 「爵」, radical 「爪・爫」
>     * Real decomposition: 「爵」 ( _alcohol vessel_ ) is a [picture of an
> alcohol vessel](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/34607/meaning-
> of-the-elements-of-%e7%88%b5-baron).
>     * Radical "decomposition": 「爫」, 「罒」, 「艮」, 「寸」
>   * 「年」, radical 「干」
>     * Real decomposition: 「[年]{ねん}」 ( _harvest_ > _year_ ) is made up from
> semantic 「禾」 (cereal crops) and phonetic 「[千]{せん}」, forming the character
> 「秊」. [「秊」 was later corrupted into the shape of
> 「年」](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/36968/18338).
>     * Radical "decomposition": uhhh....
>

