部首 — the radical index
Chinese dictionaries have always been organized by 部首 — the radical, usually the meaning-side of a character. Here is the whole map that way: 205 radicals across 3,000 characters. The other way in is by sound — the phonetic families.
酉10th earthly branch: 5-7 p.m., 8th solar month (8th September-7th October), year of the Rooster · 18 characters
醫酒醒配酷醉酵酚醚醬醜酬酪酸醇醋酗酋
亠"lid" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 8) · 9 characters
交亮亡享亨京亦亥亭
辛(of taste) hot or pungent · 8 characters
辦辨辛辭辯辜辣辮
卩"seal" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 26) · 8 characters
卻即危印卷卿卸卵
冫"ice" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 15), occurring in 冰, 次 etc, known as 兩點水|两点水 · 8 characters
冷冰准冬凍凈凌凝
殳ancient staff-like weapon made of bamboo or wood · 6 characters
殺段毀殿殼毆
戶a household · 5 characters
所房戶扇扁
干to have to do with · 5 characters
年幹平幸干
厂"cliff" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 27), occurring in 原, 历, 压 etc · 5 characters
原厭厲厚厄
鬼disembodied spirit · 5 characters
鬼魔魂魁魅
小small · 4 characters
小少尖尚
用to use · 4 characters
用甫甩甭
父father · 4 characters
爸父爺爹
入to enter · 4 characters
全兩入內
里li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m · 4 characters
重里量野
士scholar · 4 characters
士壹壯壽
卜to divine · 4 characters
卡占卜卦
音sound · 4 characters
音竟響章
文language · 4 characters
文斑斌斕
几small table · 4 characters
凱凡几凳
爪foot of a bird or animal · 4 characters
爭爵爬爪
舌tongue · 4 characters
舒舌舔舍
革animal hide · 4 characters
鞋革鞭靴
缶pottery · 4 characters
缺罐缸缽
匚"right open box" radical (Kangxi radical 22), occurring in 区, 医, 匹 etc · 4 characters
匡匪匯匠
麻generic name for hemp, flax etc · 3 characters
麼麻麽
癶Kangxi radical 105, known as 登字頭|登字头 · 3 characters
發癸登
丨radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 2) · 3 characters
中丫串
臣state official or subject in dynastic China · 3 characters
臨臥臣
片thin piece · 3 characters
片牌版
至to arrive · 3 characters
至臺致
彡"bristle" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 59), occurring in 彪, 影, 形 etc · 3 characters
影形彩
氏family name · 3 characters
民氏氓
匕dagger · 3 characters
化北匙
廴"long stride" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 54), occurring in 建, 延, 廷 etc · 3 characters
建延廷
匸"cover" or "conceal" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 23) (distinguished from 匚) · 3 characters
區匹匿
瓦roof tile · 3 characters
瓦瓶瓷
豸worm-like invertebrate · 3 characters
貓貌豹
辰5th earthly branch: 7-9 a.m., 3rd solar month (5th April-4th May), year of the Dragon · 3 characters
農辱辰
豆legume · 3 characters
豆豐豈
厶private, secret · 2 characters
去參
生to grow · 2 characters
生產
比to compare · 2 characters
比毖
爻the solid and broken lines of the eight trigrams 八卦, e.g. ☶ · 2 characters
爾爽
斗dry measure for grain equal to ten 升 or one-tenth of a 石 · 2 characters
料斗
疋classifier for cloth: bolt · 2 characters
疑疏
鬥to fight · 2 characters
鬥鬧
艮one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦, symbolizing mountain · 2 characters
良艱
韋soft leather · 2 characters
韋韓
聿(arch. introductory particle) · 2 characters
肅肆
凵receptacle · 1 characters
出
弋to shoot · 1 characters
式
支to support · 1 characters
支
釆distinguish · 1 characters
釋
香fragrant · 1 characters
香
龜tortoise · 1 characters
龜
龍Chinese dragon · 1 characters
龍
爿"piece of wood" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 90), mirror image of 片 · 1 characters
牆
隶subservient · 1 characters
隸