鹿

It is a pictograph modeled after the shape of a male deer, showing its antlers, head, and four legs.

Although it looks like it might belong under the 广 (roof/house radical) due to its shape, 鹿 is actually an independent radical.

If you trace the evolution of the character from oracle bone script to bronze script, it originally resembled the actual form of a deer.

Over time, the shape became more abstract, and the snout and antlers started to resemble the 广 component.

When used as a radical, it conveys meanings related to deer or deer-like animals.

Examples:

麊 (순록 미, reindeer)

麝 (사향노루 사, musk deer)

麟 (기린 린, qilin or giraffe)

However, some characters using this radical do not refer to animals, such as:

麤 (거칠 추, rough/coarse)

麗 (고울 려, beautiful)

When 犬 (dog) is used as a radical on the left side of a character (written as 犭), it is sometimes oddly referred to as "gaesaseumrokbyeon" (개사슴록변), meaning "dog-deer radical on the side."

This unusual name comes from an old habit of simplifying the complex 鹿 radical into 犭 for easier writing. Hence, the name includes both dog and deer.