What offset range does LH use?
Base load instructions use a sign-extended 12-bit byte offset, typically -2048 through 2047.
LH
RISC-V LH Instruction Details
Instruction ManualI-typeLoad a 16-bit halfword from memory, sign-extend to 32 bits, and write to rd
Instruction Syntax
lh rd, offset(rs1)
Operand Breakdown
Destination rd: general-purpose register receiving the result.
Source rs1: register holding the first operand.
Immediate imm: 12-bit signed value, sign-extended before operation with rs1.
RV32IMemory Load
Related Search Terms
Instruction Behavior
LH (I-type, opcode=0000011, funct3=001) loads a 16-bit halfword from memory at the effective address (rs1 + sign-extended 12-bit offset), sign-extends it to 32 bits, and writes to rd. Naturally aligned halfword addresses are multiples of 2. Misaligned behavior is EEI-defined.
LH Decode And Execute Animation
Uses the same rhythm as the ADDI page: machine-code fields, fixed-field identification, operand reads, instruction-specific execution, and ISA-visible state update.
rd
imm
rs1
lh,()
Execution Context
31..20
19..15
14..12
11..7
6..0
000000000010
imm[11:0]
01010
rs1
001
funct3
00101
rd
0000011
opcode
Execution Data Path
instruction
0x00251283
opcode
0000011 -> LOAD
funct3
001 -> LH
rd / base
t0(x5) / a0(x10)=0x00001000
offset
000000000010 -> 2; ea=0x00001002
load
16-bit 0x0000FFF2 -> sign extend
x5
t0(x5) = 0xFFFFFFF2
Current Step
Concept Step: receive the 32-bit instruction encoding
The machine code is split by the current instruction format; the animation starts from encoding/decode.
encoding: 0x00251283
syntax : lh t0(x5), 2(a0(x10))
result : t0(x5) = 0xFFFFFFF2
This animation shows ISA-visible decode and state changes, not any specific CPU pipeline, cache, prediction, or timing implementation.
Quick Understanding & Search Notes
LH reads a 16-bit halfword from the effective address formed by rs1 plus a signed 12-bit offset, then sign-extends the value into rd.
All base loads form an effective byte address as rs1 plus a sign-extended 12-bit offset.
Naturally aligned accesses should not raise address-misaligned exceptions; misaligned behavior depends on the execution environment interface.
Common Usage Scenarios
Arrays & Memory Access
Understand this scenario with real code like «lh x6, 4(x10) # x6 = sign_ext(mem[x10+4][15:0])».
Network & Byte Order
Understand this scenario with real code like «lh x6, 4(x10) # x6 = sign_ext(mem[x10+4][15:0])».
Pre-Use Checklist
Syntax Check
- Confirm the current instruction format is I-type.
- Confirm the operand order matches the example.
Semantic Check
- Ensure the destination register usage is compatible with the calling convention.
- Confirm this is not the lower-level form of a pseudo-instruction expansion.
Pitfalls / Common Confusions
Natural alignment requires address multiple of 2
vs LHU: sign-extension vs zero-extension
FAQ
What is the difference between signed and unsigned loads?
LB/LH/LW sign-extend the loaded value to XLEN; LBU/LHU zero-extend. On RV64, use LWU when a 32-bit word should be zero-extended.