Pictograph 象形字 Examples include for "sun",for "moon",and for "tree". Xu Shen (c.100 AD)estimated that 4% of characters fell into this category
Pictograph 象形字 Examples include 日 for "sun", for "moon", and 木 for "tree". Xu Shen (c. 100 AD) estimated that 4% of characters fell into this category
Indicative character ■指事字 These characters either modify existing pictographs iconically,or are direct iconic illustrations.For instance, by modifying刀，a pictograph for "knife",by marking the blade,for "blade"is obtained.Direct examples include上"up"and下"down" [ai'konikeli]形象地
Indicative character 指事字 These characters either modify existing pictographs iconically, or are direct iconic illustrations. For instance, by modifying 刀 , a pictograph for "knife", by marking the blade, 刃 for "blade" is obtained. Direct examples include 上 "up" and 下 "down". [aiˈkɔnikəli] 形象地
associative character 会意字 ■ For instance,doubling the pictograph "tree"produces林“woods",while combining日"sun"and月"moon",the two natural sources of light,makes "bright". uXu Shen estimated that 13%of characters fall into this category
associative character 会意字 For instance, doubling the pictograph 木 "tree" produces 林 “woods", while combining 日 "sun" and 月 "moon", the two natural sources of light, makes 明 "bright". Xu Shen estimated that 13% of characters fall into this category
morpheme-phonetic character ■形声字 uBy far the most numerous category are the morpheme-phonetic character,also called semantic-phonetic compounds
morpheme-phonetic character 形声字 By far the most numerous category are the morpheme-phonetic character, also called semantic-phonetic compounds
■Examples are河rver,湖lake,流 stream,冲riptide(or flush),滑slippery All these characters have on the left a radica偏旁部首of three dots,which is a simplified pictograph for a water drop,indicating that the character has a semantic connection with water;the right-hand side in each case is a phonetic indicator
Examples are 河 river, 湖 lake, 流 stream,冲 riptide (or flush), 滑 slippery. All these characters have on the left a radical 偏旁部首of three dots, which is a simplified pictograph for a water drop, indicating that the character has a semantic connection with water; the right-hand side in each case is a phonetic indicator