Traditional characters 2
Learning Chinese: writing the characters of Unit 2
Please choose how the character breakdown is displayed:
認 : (to recognize)
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 言 speech; 忍 to endure.
Etymology: 認 is made up of two parts: the speech radical 讠 (a simplification of 言, meaning "speech" or "language"), which indicates a link with communication or cognition, and the phonetic part 忍 , meaning to bear, to tolerate. These two components express the idea of "recognizing" or "identifying" through speech or knowledge.
Phonetics: the in pinyin is pronounced like the "s" in "measure" or "pleasure", but with the tip of the tongue curled further back. is therefore pronounced like the "un" in "fun".
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 言 speech; 忍 to endure.
Etymology: 認 is made up of two parts: the speech radical 讠 (a simplification of 言, meaning "speech" or "language"), which indicates a link with communication or cognition, and the phonetic part 忍 , meaning to bear, to tolerate. These two components express the idea of "recognizing" or "identifying" through speech or knowledge.
Character evolution:
| Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 认 | 认 | 认 | 认 | 认 |
識 : (to know)
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 言 speech; 戠 to gather.
Etymology: 識 is made up of the speech radical 讠 (a simplification of 言), indicating a link with communication or knowledge, and the phonetic part 戠 (to gather).
Phonetics: the in pinyin is pronounced like the "sh" in "shoe". The in pinyin is then pronounced like a dull "i" (like the "i" in "sir", with the tongue relaxed) when it follows . Otherwise it is pronounced like the "ee" in "see".
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 言 speech; 戠 to gather.
Etymology: 識 is made up of the speech radical 讠 (a simplification of 言), indicating a link with communication or knowledge, and the phonetic part 戠 (to gather).
Character evolution:
| Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 识 | 识 | 识 | 识 | 识 |
Vocabulary:
- 認識 : to know, to get acquainted. Note that loses its tone in this word.
興 : (interest, enthusiasm)
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 臼 (mortar) which are in fact the stylization of two hands surrounding 同 together.
Etymology: 興 at the top is made up of two elements 臼 (mortar) which are in fact the stylization of two hands surrounding 同 (together). The two strokes below 八 also represented two hands. Originally, the character evoked the idea of gathering together or lifting something as a group, which evolved into the meaning of prosperity or enthusiasm.
Phonetics: the in pinyin is pronounced like an "s", but with the back of the tongue. The trick is to keep the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth and pronounce an "s". is pronounced as in English: the final stays "stuck" against the palate (the back of the tongue does not come back down).
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 臼 (mortar) which are in fact the stylization of two hands surrounding 同 together.
Etymology: 興 at the top is made up of two elements 臼 (mortar) which are in fact the stylization of two hands surrounding 同 (together). The two strokes below 八 also represented two hands. Originally, the character evoked the idea of gathering together or lifting something as a group, which evolved into the meaning of prosperity or enthusiasm.
Character evolution:
| Oracle bone | Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 興 | 兴 | 兴 | 兴 | 兴 | 兴 |
Vocabulary:
- 高興 : to be glad, happy
對 : to face, toward, correct, exact (part of the word "sorry" )
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 业 profession; 羊 sheep (without the tail); 寸 thumb.
Etymology: 對 depicted a shrub on a clod of earth on the left and a hand on the right. It indicated the action of tending plants well, then their vigorous growth. It was later borrowed to mean "to be correct" and "to face".
Phonetics: the in pinyin is pronounced between a "d" and a "t", but closer to the "t". is pronounced like the "wa" in "want", pulling slightly toward "ee".
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 业 profession; 羊 sheep (without the tail); 寸 thumb.
Etymology: 對 depicted a shrub on a clod of earth on the left and a hand on the right. It indicated the action of tending plants well, then their vigorous growth. It was later borrowed to mean "to be correct" and "to face".
Character evolution:
| Oracle bone | Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 對 | 对 | 对 | 对 | 对 | 对 |
Vocabulary:
- 對不起 : excuse me, sorry. Note that loses its tone in this word.
沒 : negation of the verb "to have" and of any verb in a past context
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 氵 water; the right-hand part is a graphic variant of the spear 殳.
Etymology: 沒 is an ideogram formed from water 氵 and, in its oldest form, a whirlpool and a hand. It meant "to take an object out of the water". Later, the right-hand part was replaced by 殳 , the spear component.
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 氵 water; the right-hand part is a graphic variant of the spear 殳.
Etymology: 沒 is an ideogram formed from water 氵 and, in its oldest form, a whirlpool and a hand. It meant "to take an object out of the water". Later, the right-hand part was replaced by 殳 , the spear component.
Character evolution:
| Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 没 | 没 | 没 | 没 | 没 |
關 : to close
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 門 door; 幺 fine silk thread, 丱 two tufts of hair.
Etymology: 關 is formed from the door 門 and a set of elements representing bolts 幺幺丱. The character evokes the idea of a closed door, then of "closing" in general.
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Graphic components: 門 door; 幺 fine silk thread, 丱 two tufts of hair.
Etymology: 關 is formed from the door 門 and a set of elements representing bolts 幺幺丱. The character evokes the idea of a closed door, then of "closing" in general.
Character evolution:
| Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script | Simplified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 关 | 关 | 关 | 关 | 关 |
係 : (to join, to link), not used alone. It loses its tone in the word 關係 (link, relationship).
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 亻 human; 丿 oblique stroke; 幺 tiny; 小 small.
Etymology: 係 is an ideogram. The ancient character depicted a knotted cord (quipu), and by extension "to tie".
Phonetics: the in pinyin is pronounced like an "s", but with the back of the tongue. The trick is to keep the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth and pronounce an "s".
Stroke order:
Graphic components: 亻 human; 丿 oblique stroke; 幺 tiny; 小 small.
Etymology: 係 is an ideogram. The ancient character depicted a knotted cord (quipu), and by extension "to tie".
Character evolution:
| Bronze | Seal script | Clerical script | Regular script |
|---|---|---|---|
| 系 | 系 | 系 | 系 |
Vocabulary:
- 沒關係 : it doesn't matter, it's nothing