Chinese name: 气

Pinyin: qì

English name: gas

Imagery: wind blowing under the dark clouds

History of radical: This radical is called gas and it is always placed to the top of a character. In oracle bones it is a picture of rising clouds. Characters with this radical relate to clouds or gas.

For example:

  • 气(qì): gas
  • 氧(yǎng): oxygen
  • 氢(qīng): hydrogen