{"id":7155,"date":"2017-09-01T16:24:20","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T08:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writtenchinese.com\/?p=7155"},"modified":"2022-06-03T18:38:47","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T10:38:47","slug":"lowdown-6-types-of-chinese-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writtenchinese.com\/lowdown-6-types-of-chinese-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lowdown on the 6 Types of Chinese Characters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Very little is known about the origins of the written Chinese language. However, one of the most common stories is about the minister of mythical Emperor Huang Di, \u4ed3\u9889<\/a> (c\u0101ng ji\u00e9) Cang Jie, who allegedly saw the prints of birds and animal’s feet as being distinct and individual. He then drew his own pictures of objects relating to their shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The first type of writing was called oracle bone script \u7532\u9aa8\u6587<\/a> (ji\u01ce g\u01d4 w\u00e9n) thought to have been used between 1500 and 1000 BCE. The script was etched onto turtle shells and animal bones and then heated until they cracked. The Shang Dynasty courtiers would use the bones to tell the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are six different kinds of Chinese characters, known as \u516d\u4e66<\/a> (li\u00f9 sh\u016b). However, there are three main categories: pictographs, ideographs, and determinative phonetics. The additional three methods are known as combined ideograms, transfer characters, and loan characters, which are less related to the structure of a character and more to usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is an explanation of the six different character types, when they were introduced into the written Chinese language, as well as examples of these characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. \u8c61\u5f62<\/a> (xi\u00e0ng x\u00edng) Pictographs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The oldest character form is known as \u8c61\u5f62 (xi\u00e0ng x\u00edng) \u2018image shapes\u2019 by the lexicographer, Xu Shen \u8bb8\u614e (x\u01d4 sh\u00e8n). Some of the simplest objects to draw, were animals, tools, and other natural phenomena, that we now call \u2018pictograph\u2019 characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some examples are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u6708<\/a> (yu\u00e8) moon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u5c71<\/a> (sh\u0101n) mountain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u706b<\/a> (hu\u01d2) fire<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u6c34<\/a> (shu\u01d0) water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u4eba<\/a> (r\u00e9n) man<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u6728<\/a> (m\u00f9) tree<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u76ee<\/a> (m\u00f9) eye<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u624b<\/a> (sh\u01d2u) hand<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u53e3<\/a> (k\u01d2u) mouth<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only did these characters show natural objects, but also showed cultural advances that were occurring in China during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some good examples would be<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u5200<\/a> (d\u0101o) that shows a \u2018knife\u2019,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u8f66<\/a> (ch\u0113) \u2018cart\u2019 and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u7f51<\/a> (w\u01ceng) which shows a \u2018net\u2019. In an interesting modern twist, \u7f51<\/a> (w\u01ceng) is now used for the inter\u2019net\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \u6307\u4e8b<\/a> (zh\u01d0 sh\u00ec) Ideographs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These characters began to develop and showed \u6307\u4e8b<\/a> (zh\u01d0 sh\u00ec) \u2018indirect characters\u2019 or ideographs that were more abstract. Xu Shen referred to these characters as \u2018pointing to matters\u2019. These abstract ideas were shown with metaphorical or symbolic pictographs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, one line \u4e00<\/a> (y\u012b), two lines \u4e8c<\/a> (\u00e8r), three lines \u4e09<\/a> (s\u0101n), etc to indicate numbers \u20181,2 and 3\u2019, dots and lines added to horizontal lines to indicate characters such as<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u2018up\u2019 \u4e0a<\/a> (sh\u00e0ng) and \u2018down\u2019 \u4e0b<\/a> (xi\u00e0)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

and additional lines added to \u6728<\/a> (m\u00f9), to make \u672b<\/a> (m\u00f2) \u2018tip\u2019 and \u672c<\/a> (b\u011bn) \u2018root\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Other examples include \u4f10<\/a> (f\u00e1) showing a man \u4ebb and a spear \u6208 to mean \u2018to hack\u2019 or \u2018attack\u2019 and a \u2019hand\u2018 with a \u2019bow\u2018 meaning \u2018to shoot\u2018 \u5c04<\/a> (sh\u00e8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. \u5f62\u58f0<\/a> (x\u00edng sh\u0113ng) Determinative-Phonetic Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As China developed quickly, Xu Shen created his most ingenious method of script known as \u5f62\u58f0<\/a> (x\u00edng sh\u0113ng) which combined the pictogram with phonetics and was known as \u2018determinative-phonetic characters\u2019 or phonetic compounds. This allowed scholars to create an unlimited amount of characters and it was at this time that the evolution of the written Chinese script was almost complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some examples of how these characters work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Determinative<\/td>Phonetic<\/td>Compound<\/td><\/tr>
\u6c34<\/a> (shu\u01d0) water<\/td>\u5176<\/a> (q\u00ed) his, her, its, this, that<\/td>\u6dc7<\/a> (q\u00ed) River Qi<\/td><\/tr>
\u7389<\/a> (y\u00f9) jade<\/td>\u5176<\/a> (q\u00ed)<\/td>\u742a<\/a> (q\u00ed) a valuable white stone<\/td><\/tr>
\u571f<\/a> (t\u01d4) earth<\/td>\u5176<\/a> (q\u00ed)<\/td>\u57fa<\/a> (j\u012b) foundation<\/td><\/tr>
\u6728<\/a> (m\u00f9) wood<\/td>\u53cd<\/a> (f\u01cen) to turn over<\/td>\u677f<\/a> (b\u01cen) board<\/td><\/tr>
\u6728<\/a> (m\u00f9) wood<\/td>\u6bcf<\/a> (m\u011bi) every<\/td>\u6885<\/a> (m\u00e9i) plum<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The character \u6728 (m\u00f9) is nearly always the \u2018determinative\u2019 in a compound word. This means that the compounds are almost always associated with wood or something wooden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since the number of determinatives is relatively small, the \u2018radical\u2019 system was created by Xu Shen and \u8bf4\u6587\u89e3\u5b57<\/a> (shu\u014d w\u00e9n ji\u011b z\u00ec) the Chinese Dictionary was completed in 121AD and included 540 radicals or \u90e8\u9996<\/a> (b\u00f9 sh\u01d2u). During the Ching dynasty (1644-1911 AD), these 540 radicals were reduced to 214, and these still exist today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the changes that occurred to the Chinese language, was the phonetic pronunciations of some characters that are almost unrecognizable to the original phonetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good example of this is the phonetic of \u5de5<\/a> (g\u014dng) which means \u2018work\u2019:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Character<\/td>Pronunciation \/ Pinyin<\/td>Meaning<\/td><\/tr>
\u529f<\/a><\/td>g\u014dng<\/td>achievement<\/td><\/tr>
\u7ea2<\/a><\/td>h\u00f3ng<\/td>red<\/td><\/tr>
\u6760<\/a><\/td>g\u00e0ng \/ g\u0101ng<\/td>bar \/ pole<\/td><\/tr>
\u625b<\/a><\/td>k\u00e1ng \/ g\u0101ng<\/td>to carry high or above shoulders<\/td><\/tr>
\u6c5f<\/a><\/td>ji\u0101ng<\/td>river<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. \u4f1a\u610f<\/a> (hu\u00ec y\u00ec) Combined Ideographs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u4f1a\u610f<\/a> (hu\u00ec y\u00ec) or \u2018meeting of ideas\u2019 combines two or more pictographs or ideographs to create a new character. For example, \u660e<\/a> (m\u00edng) \u2018bright\u2019, is made up of \u65e5<\/a> (r\u00ec) meaning \u2018sun\u2019 and \u6708 <\/a>(yu\u00e8) meaning \u2018moon\u2019, \u597d<\/a> (h\u01ceo) \u2018good\u2019 is made up of \u5973<\/a> (n\u01da) \u2018woman\u2019 and \u5b50<\/a> (z\u01d0) child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some more examples of \u4f1a\u610f (hu\u00ec y\u00ec) characters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u5973<\/a> (n\u01da) woman + \u5b80<\/a> (mi\u00e1n) roof = \u5b89<\/a> (\u0101n) safe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u624b<\/a> (sh\u01d2u) hand + \u76ee<\/a> (m\u00f9) eye = \u770b<\/a> (k\u00e0n) to see<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u4eba<\/a> (r\u00e9n) man \uff0b \u6728<\/a> (m\u00f9) tree = \u4f11<\/a> (xi\u016b) to rest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u7530<\/a> (ti\u00e1n) field + \u6728 (m\u00f9) tree = \u679c<\/a> (gu\u01d2) fruit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These compound characters do not usually take phonetics from either pictograph or ideograph within the character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. \u8f6c\u6ce8<\/a> (zhu\u01cen zh\u00f9) Transfer Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u8f6c\u6ce8<\/a> (zhu\u01cen zh\u00f9) \u2018transfer\u2019 characters are the most difficult to explain and are the least understood. These characters could be interchangeable with each other due to them sharing the same radical and having a similar etymology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u7238<\/a> (b\u00e0) \/ \u7236<\/a> (f\u00f9) father<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. \u5047\u501f<\/a> (ji\u01ce ji\u00e8) Loan Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The final category are the \u5047\u501f<\/a> (ji\u01ce ji\u00e8) or \u2018loan characters\u2019. This method \u2018loans\u2019 the physical character of a homophonous word. A homophone is a word that sounds similar, but has a different meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, back in the day, there was no character for the abstract idea of \u2018to come\u2019. Since there was already an existing character with the same pronunciation, \u83b1<\/a> (l\u00e1i), the cereal plant was \u2018loaned\u2019 to the new character, \u6765<\/a> (l\u00e1i).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5176 (q\u00ed) meaning \u2018basket\u2019, was lent to \u5176<\/a> (q\u00ed) meaning \u2018he\u2019, \u2018she\u2019, \u2018it\u2019 etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original meaning of the character \u897f<\/a> (x\u012b), which now means \u2018west\u2019, was a bird in a nest. \u8bb8\u614e Xu Shen said that the bird rested in the nest when the sun was in the west and therefore gave the character over to \u2018west\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Evolution of Chinese Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The evolution of Chinese characters is a long and interesting one, but can usually be split into 4 separate stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Primitive Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, the Chinese script was simply pictographs and is said to have originated more than 10,000 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Archaic Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is evidence that suggests pictographs were completed between 5000 and 6000 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Neo-Archaic Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During this time, determinative- phonetic characters begin to appear and continued for around 1600 years. It is also in this period that the Chinese script completed its structural evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The Contemporary Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both the structural and formal evolution is now stable, however, the determinate-phonetic characters continue to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the introduction of \u6977\u4e66<\/a> (k\u01cei sh\u016b) standard script during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, few changes have been made until the early 1950s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resources<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n