Writing and character components of lesson 3
Learn Chinese: writing and components
Download the writing grids by clicking here.
Note: when a translation of a character is in brackets, this means that this character cannot be used alone. This does not mean that it has no meaning, just as the roots of words in our Western languages.
她 tā :
she. It is pronounced like 'he' but the character is different: the radical of the left is the radical of the woman.
Stroke order:
components: 女 women; 也 viper or vase.
姓 xìng :
to be called (using surname)
Stroke order:
components: 女 women; 生 to be born.
叫 jiào :
to be called (using first name or last name and first name)
Stroke order:
components: 口 mouth; 丩 two connected ropes.
什 shén :
has no meaning alone. 什么 shénme: what?
Stroke order:
components: 亻 human; 十 ten.
么 me :
has no meaning alone. 什么 shénme: what?
Stroke order:
components: 厶 private.
名 míng :
(first name)
Stroke order:
components: 夕 dusk; 口 mouth.
字 zì :
writing character
Stroke order:
components: 宀 roof; 子 child.
名字 míngzì : first name
谁 shéi :
who?
Stroke order:
components: 讠 speech; 隹 short-tailed bird.
先 xiān :
first
Stroke order:
components: 土 earth; 儿 son.
生 shēng :
to be born
Stroke order:
components: 生 is a graphical component.
先生 xiānsheng : sir. Note that shēng loses its intonation in this word.
小 xiǎo :
be small
Stroke order:
components: 小 is a graphical component.
姐 :
older sister
Stroke order:
components: 女 woman; The right-hand element is not considered as a graphical component.
小姐 xiǎojiě : Miss, young lady. Warning, in western China 小姐 xiǎojiě is a nickname to designate prostitutes. Use with caution!
是 shì :
to be
Strokes order:
components: 日 sun; 𤴓 variant of 正 right, straight.
认 rèn :
(recognize)
Stroke order:
components: 讠 speech; 亻 human.
识 shí :
(know)
Stroke order:
components: 讠 speech; 口 mouth; 八 eight.
认识 rènshi : to know, to be acquainted with. Note that shí loses its intonation in this word.
的 de :
structural particle (see the grammar)
Stroke order:
components: 日 sun; 勺 spoon.
高 gāo :
to be high, tall
Stroke order:
components: 亠 lid; 口 mouth; 冂 box.
兴 xìng :
(interest, enthusiasm)
Stroke order:
components: 八 eight. The upper part is not considered as a graphical component.
高兴 gāoxìng : to be happy
明 míng :
(light, clarity, name of the Ming dynasty, 1368 - 1644)
Stroke order:
components: 日 sun; 月 moon.
小明 xiǎomíng : a first name used for the lesson
王 wáng :
a family name / king
Stroke order:
components: 王 is a graphical component.
李 lǐ :
a family name / plum
Stroke order:
components: 木 wood, tree; 子 child.