The Origin Of Chinese Characters

Author : L‚on Wieger
Publisher : Courier Corporation
Page : 834 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 1965-01-01
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 9780486213217

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Chinese Characters by L‚on Wieger Pdf

The heart of this book is a series of etymological lessons, in which approximately 2300 Chinese characters are classidied according to 224 'primitives' upon which they are based. For each character Father Wieger gives the modern form, its archaic form, literary pronunciation (Wade system), explanations of origin, semantic content of component parts, related characters, variants forms, quotations of classical usage, and similar material. To make his book more useful Father Wieger has also incorporated a tremendous number of reading aids for the student - listings of the primitives; an index of the characters analyzed, arranged by number of strokes; a listing of 858 phonetic elements, arranged by number of strokes; a listing of about 10,000 characters by phonetic element; a lexicon by transliteration, comprising about 7,000 characters; and a lexicon of about 10,000 characters according to the customary modern system of 214 radicals devised by K'ang-hsi.

Author : Kihoon Lee
Publisher : Algora Publishing
Page : 244 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2018-07-01
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781628943238

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The Origin of Chinese Characters by Kihoon Lee Pdf

Author : Alison Matthews,Laurence Matthews
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
Page : 388 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2011-12-20
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 9781462901289

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Tuttle Learning Chinese Characters by Alison Matthews,Laurence Matthews Pdf

This user-friendly book is aimed at helping students of Mandarin Chinese learn and remember Chinese characters. At last--there is a truly effective and enjoyable way to learn Chinese characters! This book helps students to learn and remember both the meanings and the pronunciations of over 800 characters. This otherwise daunting task is made easier by the use of techniques based on the psychology of learning and memory. key principles include the use of visual imagery, the visualization of short "stories," and the systematic building up of more complicated characters from basic building blocks. Although Learning Chinese Characters is primarily a book for serious learners of Mandarin Chinese, it can be used by anyone with interest in Chinese characters, without any prior knowledge of Chinese. It can be used alongside (or after, or even before) a course in the Chinese language. All characters are simplified (as in mainland China), but traditional characters are also given, when available. Key features: Specially designed pictures and stories are used in a structured way to make the learning process more enjoyable and effective, reducing the need for rote learning to the absolute minimum. The emphasis throughout is on learning and remembering the meanings and pronunciations of the characters. Tips are also included on learning techniques and how to avoid common problems. Characters are introduced in a logical sequence, which also gives priority to learning the most common characters first. Modern, simplified characters are used, with pronunciations given in pinyin. Key information is given for each character, including radical, stroke-count, traditional form, compounds, and guidance on writing the character. This is a practical guide with a clear, concise and appealing layout, and it is well-indexed with easy lookup methods. The 800 Chinese characters and 1,033 compounds specified for the original HSK Level A proficiency test are covered.

Author : Hongyuan Dong
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 219 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2014-04-16
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781317743903

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A History of the Chinese Language by Hongyuan Dong Pdf

A History of the Chinese Language provides a comprehensive introduction to the historical development of the Chinese language from its proto Sino-Tibetan roots in prehistoric times to Modern Standard Chinese. Taking a highly accessible and balanced approach, it presents a chronological survey of the various stages of Chinese language development, covering crucial aspects such as phonology, syntax and semantics. Features include: Coverage of the key historical stages in Chinese language development, such as Old Chinese, Middle Chinese, Early Modern Chinese, Classical Chinese and Modern Standard Chinese Treatment of core linguistic aspects of the Chinese language including phonological changes, grammatical development, lexical evolution, vernacular writing, Chinese characters and Modern Chinese dialects Inclusion of many authentic Chinese legends and texts throughout the book, presented through a rigorous framework of linguistic analysis to help students to build up strong critical and evaluative skills and acquire valuable cultural knowledge Integration of materials from different disciplines, such as archaeology, anthropology, history and sociolinguistics, to highlight the cultural and social background of each period of the language Helpful appendices to aid students with no prior knowledge of linguistics or the Chinese language Companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/dong offering a wealth of supplementary resources such as additional exercises, answer keys and audio recordings of the sounds of Middle and Old Chinese. Written by a highly experienced instructor, A History of the Chinese Language will be an essential resource for beginning students of Chinese Language and Linguistics and for anyone interested in the history and culture of China.

Author : George Durand Wilder,James Henry Ingram
Publisher : Courier Corporation
Page : 386 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 1974-01-01
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 9780486230450

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Analysis of Chinese Characters by George Durand Wilder,James Henry Ingram Pdf

An analysis of 1000 Sino-Japanese characters.

Author : Sophie Ma
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 28 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2020-11-24
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9798569294763

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The Origin of Chinese Characters - YUAN by Sophie Ma Pdf

Travel back in time to understand the origin of some Chinese characters and how they evolve with this book.Chinese characters are the oldest continuously used writing system in the world. Over the time, the set of characters has evolved through various forms. Some representatives include: - oracle bone script (甲骨文), ancient Chinese characters used on animal bones or turtle shells from over 3000 years ago; - large seal script (大篆), a traditional reference to Chinese writing from before the Qin dynasty; - small seal script (小篆), the first set of characters that was standardized across China from over 2000 years ago. They finally become the regular script (楷书), the square-shaped Characters that are used nowadays.Some of the most common chinese characters were created from simplified pictures of objects, called pictograms (象形字). Most of the characters in this book are under this category, so it's easy to understand their meanings by just looking at the shapes. Three ancient scripts (oracle bone script, large seal script, small seal script) are included at the bottom left corner of each page to illustrate the evolutions. The regular script forms with their pinyin (Chinese pronunciation) are included at the bottom right corner as this is the form we are using everyday now.It is fascinating to see how these characters carry their core meaning while transformed into shapes that also align with the styles of different scripts. Sometimes, it needs a little bit of effort to recognize the connections between different scripts. Imagination is the key. I hope the book is fun for all readers, parents and children, teachers and students, chinese speakers and non-chinese speakers. Reading Chinese is easier and more interesting than you think

Author : Teresa L. Wu
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 462 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1990
Category : Chinese characters
ISBN : STANFORD:36105000447727

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The Origin and Dissemination of Chinese Characters by Teresa L. Wu Pdf

Author : 王宏源,Hongyuan Wang
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 234 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 1993
Category : Chinese characters
ISBN : UCSC:32106016727809

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漢字字源入門 by 王宏源,Hongyuan Wang Pdf

Chinese characters are not simply letters or symbols; they are picture-words. This fascinating book chronicles the history of Chinese writing to reveal how today's characters have developed over the centuries from complex paintings and drawings to the codified systems currently in use. for instance, the character for chariot does not resemble a chariot at all, but you can see how over the years elaborate pictures of various chariots and vehicles merged into today's character. Richly illustrated

Author : Philip Philipsen
Publisher : iUniverse
Page : 120 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2005-06
Category : Asia
ISBN : 9780595356294

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Sound Business by Philip Philipsen Pdf

China and Japan are in the sound business--they just don't realize it. Not the kind of sound business usually associated with prosperous Asian economies, but the Chinese characters they use by the billions every day. For centuries Chinese characters have served as a powerful symbol of the cultural divide between east and west, but all that is about to change. Sound Business: The Reality of Chinese Characters, written by MA in Japanese Studies and Chinese Philip Philipsen, presents a whole new picture of Chinese characters seen in world perspective. And this is a world that sound makes go around. Get a rare insight into the real function, usage, etymology and true origin of Chinese characters, and be prepared to lose your breath as you discover our astonishing shared heritage. Mixing past and present avant-garde Japanese, Chinese and western research, Sound Business: The Reality of Chinese Characters takes you on a journey that will forever change the way you look at Chinese characters. Join the revolution!

Author : Axel Schuessler
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
Page : 679 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2006-12-31
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 9780824861339

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ABC Etymological Dictionary of Old Chinese by Axel Schuessler Pdf

This is the first genuine etymological dictionary of Old Chinese written in any language. As such, it constitutes a milestone in research on the evolution of the Sinitic language group. Whereas previous studies have emphasized the structure of the Chinese characters, this pathbreaking dictionary places primary emphasis on the sounds and meanings of Sinitic roots. Based on more than three decades of intensive investigation in primary and secondary sources, this completely new dictionary places Old Chinese squarely within the Sino-Tibetan language family (including close consideration of numerous Tiberto-Burman languages), while paying due regard to other language families such as Austroasiatic, Miao-Yao (Hmong-Mien), and Kam-Tai. Designed for use by nonspecialists and specialists alike, the dictionary is highly accessible, being arranged in alphabetical order and possessed of numerous innovative lexicographical features. Each entry offers one or more possible etymologies as well as reconstructed pronunciations and other relevant data. Words that are morphologically related are grouped together into "word families" that attempt to make explicit the derivational or other etymological processes that relate them. The dictionary is preceded by a substantive and significant introduction that outlines the author’s views on the linguistic position of Chinese within Asia and details the phonological and morphological properties, to the degree they are known, of the earliest stages of the Chinese language and its ancestor. This introduction, because it both summarizes and synthesizes earlier work and makes several original contributions, functions as a useful reference work all on its own.

Author : Herbert Allen Giles
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 1482 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 1892
Category : Chinese language
ISBN : UOM:39015086589044

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A Chinese-English Dictionary by Herbert Allen Giles Pdf

Author : G. D. Wilder,J. H. Ingram
Publisher : CreateSpace
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2014-08-23
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 1500937134

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Analysis of Chinese Characters by G. D. Wilder,J. H. Ingram Pdf

An excerpt from “INTRODUCTION TO ANALYSIS OF CHINESE CHARACTERS” THE author of the great Chinese English dictionary Mr. Giles, has not hesitated to express most trenchantly his contempt of etymology as it has been applied to Chinese Characters. He says that "Much of the etymology of the Shuo Wen is childish in the extreme", and that the phonetic principle of combination is the only one of which we can pretend to know anything. Notwithstanding the ridicule heaped upon it, scholars, like Chalmers, Chalfant, Wieger and others have continued to pursue the fascinating study of the origin of these symbols and have given us most interesting results. These results are so convincing that in the teaching of character writing we have unhesitatingly adopted the principle that the etymology of the earliest Chinese writers on the subject, childish though it may often be and fanciful, is yet superior to the numerous mnemonics that have been invented by foreign students to assist in the difficult task of memorizing the forms of a few thousand characters. The student of these pages may often consider the etymology suggested fanciful and the logic of the combinations farfetched but the following consideration should be borne in mind. They are the products of Chinese fancy and imagination and to some extent show the workings of the Chinese mind. Therefore they interest us who are students of Chinese thought. Moreover they often may only seem to be fanciful because we are ignorant of the ancient customs out of which they arise, or of the forms of the utensils of which they are pictures, or of the variations of pronunciation in the different dialects. If any one of us were entrusted with the task of inventing written symbols for both concrete objects and abstract ideas it is doubtful if we would produce anything much less fanciful and we certainly could produce nothing of such rich historic interest, as certainly invests the 3000 most primitive characters. Writing Chinese characters is a task of memory. Modern pedagogy insists on the value of logical or even fanciful links between ideas for fixing them in mind. Those who try to learn Chinese characters almost invariably grope for some association of ideas, some logic in the formation by which to hold them in memory. We have no doubt that the groupings which have been arrived at already by a study of the ancient inscriptions of the early seal writings and etymologies are more interesting, more logical, and wider in- range than any memory system that has been or can be invented by the superficial study of the characters as written with the modern Chinese pen. These etymological studies enlist the interest of the historic imagination to aid the dry-as-dust task of committing to memory these curious symbols of the thought of three or four millenniums….

Author : 王宏源
Publisher : China Books & Periodicals
Page : 214 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 1993-01-01
Category : Chinese characters
ISBN : 0835126161

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漢字字源入門 by 王宏源 Pdf

本书汉英对照,包括:人类、自然、狩猎与农耕、手工业、日常生活、战争的出现、从神化到文化等.

Author : Joseph Edkins
Publisher : Forgotten Books
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2017-06-03
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 0282244948

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Introduction to the Study of the Chinese Characters (Classic Reprint) by Joseph Edkins Pdf

Excerpt from Introduction to the Study of the Chinese Characters Tun Chinese characters are records of a distant past. In stead of being hidden under the rubbish heaps of ruined palaces, like the Cuneiform Inscriptions, they have, millen nium after millennium, been passing in open day through the hands of scribes. Subject to the caprices of each genera tion of writers, they now present themselves to us in a vast variety of successive forms. Through these forms, if the inquisitive eye of science trace correctly the process of change, we may acquire a knowledge of the origin of Chinese writing, and the method pursued by the inventors. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Author : John DeFrancis
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 1986-03-01
Category : Foreign Language Study
ISBN : 0824810686

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The Chinese Language by John DeFrancis Pdf

"DeFrancis's book is first rate. It entertains. It teaches. It demystifies. It counteracts popular ignorance as well as sophisticated (cocktail party) ignorance. Who could ask for anything more? There is no other book like it. ... It is one of a kind, a first, and I would not only buy it but I would recommend it to friends and colleagues, many of whom are visiting China now and are adding 'two-week-expert' ignorance to the two kinds that existed before. This is a book for everyone." --Joshua A. Fishman, research professor of social sciences, Yeshiva University, New York "Professor De Francis has produced a work of great effectiveness that should appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It is at once instructive and entertaining. While being delighted by the flair of his novel approach, the reader will also be led to ponder on some of the most fundamental problems concerning the relations between written languages and spoken languages. Specifically, he will be served a variety of information on the languages of East Asia, not as dry pedantic facts, but as appealing tidbits that whet the intellectual appetite. The expert will find much to reflect on in this book, for Professor DeFrancis takes nothing for granted." --William S.Y. Wang, professor of linguistics, University of California at Berkeley