Characters 7

本 běn : root, origin; classifier for books

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Graphic components: 木 tree; 一 one (a horizontal stroke added at the base).
Etymology : 本 běn is an ideogram. It is composed of the tree 木 mù with a horizontal stroke added at the base to indicate the lower part of the tree, that is, the roots. The original meaning is therefore "root", "origin". By extension, it took on the meaning of "book" (the book being the source of knowledge) and became the classifier for bound works.

东 dōng : east (cardinal direction)

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Graphic components: 东 is the simplified form of 東.
Etymology : 东 dōng is the simplified form of 東. The ancient character represented a sack or a bundle tied at both ends. This character was borrowed to write the word "east" (the direction of the rising sun). The simplification kept the vertical stroke and the general shape while reducing the number of strokes.

西 xī : west
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Graphic components: 西 is a graphic component.
Etymology : 西 xī is a pictogram. The ancient character represented a bird's nest. Birds return to their nest at sunset, that is, in the west. It is through this association that the character took on the meaning of "west". In modern Chinese, it is no longer used on its own to mean "west" (one says 西边) but appears in many compound words such as 东西 dōngxi "thing".

衣 yī : clothing

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Graphic components: 衣 is a graphic component.
Etymology : 衣 yī is a pictogram representing a garment with a collar and sleeves. It is one of the oldest Chinese characters. In the ancient form, the shape of a tunic open at the front is clearly visible. This character also serves as a component in many other characters related to clothing or fabric (such as 裤 pantalon, 袜 chaussette).

服 fú : clothing, to submit

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Graphic components: 月 moon/flesh; 卩 seal; 又 right hand.
Etymology : 服 fú is an ideogram. The ancient character was composed of a kneeling man 卩 and a hand 又, evoking the idea of subduing someone. The component 月 (originally 舟 "boat") was added later. The meaning evolved toward "to obey", then "to wear (clothes)" and "clothing".

还 hái : again, to return

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Graphic components: 不 negation; 辶 to walk.
Etymology : 还 huán/hái (simplified form of 還) is composed of 辶 chuò (to walk) and the phonetic element 睘 huán. Originally, it represented a circular return or the action of coming back. By extension, it developed two readings: "to give back, to return" (huán) and "again, moreover" (hái), as in 还钱 huán qián (to repay) or 还有 háiyǒu (there is still more). The character combines movement (辶) with circularity (睘), evoking a path that leads back to its starting point.

手 shǒu : hand

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Graphic components: 手 is a graphic component.
Etymology : 手 shǒu is a pictogram representing a hand with its five fingers.

机 jī : machine, mechanism

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Graphic components: 木 tree, wood; 几 a small table.
Etymology : 机 jī is the simplified form of 機. The traditional character is composed of wood 木 mù and a complex phonetic component 幾 jǐ. It originally referred to the crossbow or its trigger mechanism, then by extension any mechanical device. The simplification replaced 幾 with 几 jǐ.

件 jiàn : classifier for clothing, matters and events

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Graphic components: 亻 human; 牛 ox.
Etymology : 件 jiàn is an ideogram composed of the man 亻 and the ox 牛 niú. The character originally evoked the idea of separating, of dividing (a man separating cattle). By extension, it denotes a "piece", an "item" or a "unit" and serves as a classifier for clothing, individual objects and matters.

那 nà : that (distant)

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Graphic components: the left component represented large drooping whiskers (the character does not exist on its own); 阝 city (on the right).
Etymology : 那 nà was originally the name of an ancient state inhabited by a hairy people. The character is composed of the city component 阝 (on the right) and a phonetic element. It was borrowed to serve as a demonstrative pronoun indicating distance ("that, over there"), in contrast to 这 zhè which indicates proximity.

书 shū : book, to write
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Graphic components: 书 is the simplified form of 書.
Etymology : 书 shū is the simplified form of 書. The traditional character is composed of the brush 聿 yù (the hand holding a brush) and 者 zhě, a phonetic component. It originally meant "to write", then by extension "book, written work". The simplification considerably reduced the number of strokes while keeping the idea of the brush.

些 xiē : some, a few

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Graphic components: 止 to stop; 匕 spoon; 二 two.
Etymology : 些 xiē is an ideogram composed of 此 cǐ (this) in the upper part and 二 èr (two) in the lower part. The character evokes the idea of "a few" or "a small number". It is never used on its own in the modern language, but always in combination: 一些 yìxiē (a few), 这些 zhèxiē (these), 那些 nàxiē (those).

这 zhè : this (near)
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Graphic components: 文 writing, culture; 辶 to walk.
Etymology : 这 zhè is the simplified form of 這. The traditional character is composed of 辶 chuò (to walk, to advance) and 言 yán (speech). The simplified form replaces 言 with 文 wén (writing). The character means "this" and refers to something near, in contrast to 那 nà (that, distant).