Radical 12 of 20 · へん · left

土つちへん: earth

Earth and land, and places built on it: slopes, castles, places.

Heads 19 of the 1026 kanji taught in Japanese primary school.

字源 · WHY THIS SHAPE

From a picture to 土

1. The picture
A lump of soil standing on the ground. The bottom line is the ground.
2. Squeezed to the left
On the left, the bottom line tilts up into a short flick that leads into the right half. Look at 地 and 場.

Origins follow the commonly taught explanations. Where scholars disagree, we say so.

Earth and land, and places built on it: slopes, castles, places.

Some have nothing to do with soil.

Every primary-school kanji filed under 土. Tap one to see its meaning.