Characters 10

星 xīng: (star)

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Graphic components: 日 sun; 生 to be born.
Etymology: 星 xīng is a phono-semantic compound made up of the sun radical 日 rì and the component 生 shēng, "to be born". Originally, it symbolized a star that appears or shines, associating celestial light (日) with the idea of manifestation (生). Today this character refers to stars, the celestial bodies, or bright entities (e.g. 明星, "celebrity", lit. "bright star").

期 qī: (period)

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Graphic components: 其 sieve / phonetic element qi; 月 moon.
Etymology: 期 qī is a phono-semantic character made up of 其 qí (phonetic) and 月 yuè (moon/month). Originally, it referred to a time cycle linked to the lunar phases, evolving toward the meanings of period, deadline, or appointment. This character embodies concepts of planning (e.g. 日期, "date") and anticipation (e.g. 期待, "to hope").

分 fēn: minute / to divide / division

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Graphic components: 八 eight; 刀 knife.
Etymology: 分 fēn is a character made up of 八 (bā, "eight", symbolizing division) and 刀 (dāo, "knife"). This pictogram evokes the action of to divide, to share, or to separate using a sharp tool.

钟 zhōng: bell / clock

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Graphic components: 钅 metal; 中 zhōng middle.
Etymology: 钟 zhōng is the simplified form of 鐘. It is made up of the metal radical 钅 (simplification of 金, "metal") and the phonetic component 中 zhōng ("middle"). Originally, it referred to a metal bell, a ritual musical instrument. By extension, it took on the meaning ofclock and is used to count minutes (分钟).

现 xiàn: (now). 现在 xiànzài: now.

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Graphic components: 王 king, jade; 见 to see, to glimpse.
Etymology: 现 xiàn is the simplified form of 現, made up of 王 (wáng, "king", replacing 玉 "jade") and 见 (jiàn, "to see"). Originally, 現 symbolized a visible jewel, evolving toward the meanings of to appear, present.

昨 zuó: (yesterday). 昨天 zuótiān: yesterday.

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Graphic components: 日 sun; 乍 the neckline of a garment.
Etymology: 昨 zuó is a character made up of 日 (rì, "day") and 乍 (zhà, phonetic). Originally, it referred to the previous day ("yesterday"), associating time (日) with a phonetic indication.

上 shàng: above / to go up / (previous). 上午 shàngwǔ: morning.

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Etymology: 上 shàng is a primitive pictogram representing a line above a reference point, symbolizing the top, the superiority, or theelevation.

下 xià: below / to go down / (next). 下午 xiàwǔ: afternoon.

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Etymology: 下 xià is a primitive pictogram representing a line below a reference point, symbolizing the bottom, theinferiority, or the descent.

午 wǔ: (noon)

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Etymology: 午 wǔ is a phonetic loan from an ancient pictogram representing a pestle.

话 huà: speech

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Graphic components: 讠 speech; 舌 the tongue (the organ).
Etymology: 话 huà is the simplified form of 話, made up of 讠 (speech) and 舌 shé, "tongue". Originally, it symbolized the action of to speak or to discuss, associating speech (讠) with the organ of the tongue.

课 kè: lesson, class

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Graphic components: 讠 speech; 果 fruit.
Etymology: The traditional character 課 kè is a phono-semantic compound made up of the semantic component 言 yán (speech) and the phonetic component 果 guǒ (fruit/result). It originally evoked the idea of checking accounts or examining results, linked to administration. The meaning evolved toward "lesson" by extension of the idea ofan assessed teaching unit. The simplified form 课 keeps this structure while simplifying 言 into 讠.

习 xí: to practice

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Graphic components: 习 is a graphic component.
Etymology: 习 xí is the simplified form of 習 which is made up of 羽 yǔ (feather) and 白 bái (white). Originally, it was made up of two bird wings above the sun and represented a bird flapping its wings to practice flying 習. By extension, it took on the meanings of "to practice", "to study" or "to get used to", as in 学习 xuéxí (to study) or 习惯 xíguàn (habit). The character evokes the repetition needed for learning, like a bird training to master its flight.

要 yào: to want, important

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Graphic components: 西 west; 女 woman.
Etymology: 要 yào/yāo is an ideogram representing a woman with her hands on her hips. Later, it was borrowed phonetically to mean "to want", "important" or "essential", as in 重要 zhòngyào (important) or 要求 yāoqiú (to require).