From “ ’’ to “ 日 ’’ Introduction to Chinese Characters Presented by Chunfang Zhao Arabic and Asian Language Office Texas A&M University

Chinese Words Different dialects--- Mandarin, Cantonese Same written words---- Chinese characters.

Chinese Characters  The Chinese script is the only logographic writing system still in the daily use in the world.  Chinese script is made up of characters, the majority of which are “pictophonetic”.  Total number 50,000 Frequently used 5,000-8,000 Everyday situation 3,000

Traditional Vs Simplified 妈 mother 门 door 媽 mother 門 door  Traditional Characters retain earlier forms, mainly used for aesthetic purpose  Simplified Characters have altered by reducing complex strokes

History The earliest extant Chinese writing dates back at least some 6,000 years Turtle shell stele paper

Evolution Chinese characters have gradually developed from their beginning as pictorial symbols into straight-line, square-shaped forms:

Development  Hieroglyphics or the drawing of pictographs The earliest method by which Chinese characters were designed and from which the other methods were subsequently developed. ====== sun moon water

 Associative compounds Express abstract ideas. It’s formed by combining two or more elements, each with a meaning of its own, to express new ideas. ==== bright sunrise

 Pictophonetics Formed by combining one element indicating meaning and the other sound. 爸 (bà) 父 (fù ) 巴 (bā ) In this way, more and more characters were made until such pictophonetics constitute today about 90 percent of all Chinese characters.

(dà) 大 = ( rì) 日 = (mù) 木 =

基本笔画 Basic Strokes

笔顺规则笔顺规则 Rules of stroke order

nǐ hǎo Hello!