<p>As far as I know, all radicals have meaning. The one you are talking about is 阝(fù) and called "Radical 170" (when used on the left, meaning mound or dam) or "Radical 163" (when used on the right, meaning city) while the Unicode dictionary says the radical means 'place'. Given the two examples you listed, it does relate to this meaning.</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%9D" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%9D</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_170" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_170</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_163" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_163</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T03:49:46.653Z
2014-03-19T03:49:46.653Z
Ming
<p>This radical is called the 双耳旁 or 双二刀, due to it looking somewhat like an ear or the 刀 character. There are actually two radicals depending on whether it's placed to the left or right: 左耳刀 if on the left, 右耳刀 if on the right. The two radicals have different origins and different meanings.</p>

<p><a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/457766.htm">http://baike.baidu.com/view/457766.htm</a></p>

<p>The left version is derived from the <a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/27/js/961C.htm">阜 (fù)</a> character, meaning "mound" or "abundant". Characters with this radical are often related to mountains, hills etc, such as 陵 (hill), 险 (steep), 陆 (terrestrial).</p>

<p>The right version is derived from the <a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/26/js/9091.htm">邑 (yì)</a> character, meaning "city". Characters with this radical are often related to cities or human settlements, such as 都 (capital), 郊 (suburb), 郡 (commandery).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T03:54:39.893Z
Is it a typo and meant to be 双耳刀? +1 though, I like your answer better.
Ming
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T03:59:29.023Z
@Ming I probably meant to say "it looks like two ears". The names are right though.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T04:20:12.293Z
Hmm, strange, just that I have a dictionary entry 双耳刀 for these radicals (ABC dictionary.)
Ming
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T02:15:06.343Z
Thanks for the explanation and even more for the examples!
Manish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-18T17:27:09.767Z
Im curious how your answer can be used to explain 那, because "that" does not seem to be related to hills or capitals
Shep Bryan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-18T22:18:11.990Z
@ShepBryan 那 also means "there", which is place related.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T03:51:23.547Z
2014-03-19T03:51:23.547Z
congusbongus
<p>It probably doesn't. I tried searching but couldn't find one. 
But would be great if it does! Would help me remember so many new words. I hope somebody has figured out a pedagogical role of that symbol.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-19T18:57:43.117Z
@user1551 I removed the "mandarin" flag accordingly.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-20T02:11:21.700Z
sorry about that, and thanks. I kinda forgot that I was already on the Chinese section!
Manish
<etymology><glyph-origin><radicals>
Does the beta like character (as in 陳, 附 and many more) in Chinese have a special meaning?
# Does the beta like character (as in 陳, 附 and many more) in Chinese have a special meaning?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-03-19)

It probably doesn't. I tried searching but couldn't find one.
But would be great if it does! Would help me remember so many new words. I hope somebody has figured out a pedagogical role of that symbol.

**Tags:** etymology, glyph-origin, radicals

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @user1551 I removed the "mandarin" flag accordingly.  
> **username_0**: sorry about that, and thanks. I kinda forgot that I was already on the Chinese section!  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-03-19. Score: 13 | Accepted answer

This radical is called the 双耳旁 or 双二刀, due to it looking somewhat like an ear or the 刀 character. There are actually two radicals depending on whether it's placed to the left or right: 左耳刀 if on the left, 右耳刀 if on the right. The two radicals have different origins and different meanings.

<http://baike.baidu.com/view/457766.htm>

The left version is derived from the [阜 (fù)](http://www.zdic.net/z/27/js/961C.htm) character, meaning "mound" or "abundant". Characters with this radical are often related to mountains, hills etc, such as 陵 (hill), 险 (steep), 陆 (terrestrial).

The right version is derived from the [邑 (yì)](http://www.zdic.net/z/26/js/9091.htm) character, meaning "city". Characters with this radical are often related to cities or human settlements, such as 都 (capital), 郊 (suburb), 郡 (commandery).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Is it a typo and meant to be 双耳刀? +1 though, I like your answer better.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 I probably meant to say "it looks like two ears". The names are right though.  
> **username_2**: Hmm, strange, just that I have a dictionary entry 双耳刀 for these radicals (ABC dictionary.)  
> **username_0**: Thanks for the explanation and even more for the examples!  
> **username_4**: Im curious how your answer can be used to explain 那, because "that" does not seem to be related to hills or capitals  
> **username_3**: @ShepBryan 那 also means "there", which is place related.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-03-19. Score: 4

As far as I know, all radicals have meaning. The one you are talking about is 阝(fù) and called "Radical 170" (when used on the left, meaning mound or dam) or "Radical 163" (when used on the right, meaning city) while the Unicode dictionary says the radical means 'place'. Given the two examples you listed, it does relate to this meaning.

* <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%9D>
* <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_170>
* <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_163>


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