Learn Chinese character by understanding how it was created

After starting this series of Chinese character learning process following their evolution history, it is benefiting not only readers but also myself.

I am surely not a Chinese linguist, it takes me lots of effort to search and understand why a Chinese character is created and the philosophy behind that. However these learning proces is quite rewarding, I can also have the chance to understand better the origin of Chinese culture and civilization. 

We will be very impressed how creative and innovative our Chinese ancestors were! Chinese are the only race on earth who are still following the way of writing of their ancestors, which are using different pictographic characters together with method of associative imagination and philosophy.

Other side benefit is that my kids will study and learn in an English environment, this series can help them to better understand our Chinese language and culture, then further appreciate and be proud of it. Hopefully they will not become so-called banana but pure mango. 

And by going through the evolution history, we can now have the chance to understand and read ancient Chinese documents wiring even in Oracle script, Bronze script and etc. We will see in our following posts that by understanding how Chinese characters were created, we can have better interpretation of ancient writings.

Most of Chinese will not have chance to know Oracle script and Bronze script, from this series, we will know more than average Chinese in Chinese characters.

Chinese Characters

By the way, wish everybody a prosperous new year ahead in 2012.  

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "四"

Today we are going to look at "四", to find out its meaning, it is better to check it evolution history:
(image get from http://www.vividict.com)

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "四"

Oracle script  means it is two times of two "二".
at early stage of Bronze script,   is also written horizontally as, to emphasize the mean of four to be twice of two, Chinese ancestor combined with  to become . late stage of Bronze script  was further added another inside to re-emphasize the relationship between Four - "四" and Two - "二".
When it came to Seal script  ,  was again removed from .

So now we have current way of writing of Four in Chinese - "四".

As usual, let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with "四" inside:

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "四"

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "子"

Since it just passed the Christmas, let us talk about the Chinese character "子" which means Baby, especially sometimes it refers specifically to son, as a tribute to Jesus Christ.

Let us see the evolution history as usual: image get from http://www.vividict.com

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "子"

 Oracle script , Bronze script  and Seal script , does not them look exactly the same as following picture which is "Child wrapped in swaddling clothes in his legs, exposing his head, with open arms"?

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "子"

When it evolved to Official script , it is simplified to our current way of writing - "子".

As Chinese ancestors valued son more than daughter, "子" is also specifically mean Son.

And everyone grows from baby, "子" can also be used to mean Person.

With the love and care to our baby, "子" carries such meaning of Love and Respect when we use it to call an adult man especially elderly man. like "孔子" which you will see a lot.

As "子" to contain the meaning of newborn and small, "子" is also used to mean Small Object or Young Seedling.

Let us  enjoy a Chinese calligraphy to end today's learning.

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "子"

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "北"

At the end of our lesson for "比", we got to know the Oracle writing of "北". Below is the full evolution history of it:  image get from: http://www.vividict.com

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "北"

As you can see that "北" is two persons standing back to back. When two persons do not agree with each other, they will move to different directions. That is exactly what Chinese ancestors want to show here. Original meaning of "北" is Contrary or Against.

When it evolved to Official scriptis simplified from  to   , which is what we are using now.

However original meaning of "北" is no longer used in our recent documentation and articles. You can only see that in articles from ancient Oracle period.  Contrary or Against is now represented by "背", which pronounces almost the same as "北" and upper part of "背" is still "北" while lower part "月" means flesh or body. We can get into details when we study "背".

And since "北" contains the meaning of "back to", it was used to mean Flee as well, for when soldiers fled, they have their back to the enemies who are pursuing them. You can see this meaning in a very frequently used Chinese phrase - "败北". "败" means to be defeated. Here just for your information.

Flee - 败北

And in ancient China, Emperors always sit facing south with back to north. "北" is then used to mean North as well. North is now the most frequently used meaning of "北".

Let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with "北" inside to end our learning today:

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "北"

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "比"

When we went through the meaning of "从", we have seen the Oracle script writing of "比".

Below is the evolution history of "比": (image get from http://www.vividict.com)

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "比"

as you can see that "比" in Oracle script is  , which is opposite to "从" in Oracle script .
 is also composed of two persons one behind another one. however since it is opposite to the way of writing for , it is then no longer to mean follow or fellowship, it is to represent the meaning that behind the other  wants to Compare, instead of following here.
It also demonstrates the philosophy of Chinese ancestors when they create this character that only people, who are about equal to each other, want to compare with each other. Nobody of us will compare with Bill Gates for wealth in money and get envied for that, right? we normally compare against our friends, colleagues,  neighbourhoods and classmates.

when this character evolved to Official script , has been changed to , which is the way we are writing now.

So "比" means Compare.

To end today's learning, let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with "比" inside:

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "比"

Our next lesson will continue with character with related to "人", which is “北”, its Oracle writing is  . Guess its meaning?

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "从"

We have learnt the Chinese character "人" and "众". Today let us look at "从".

"从" is composed of two "人" with one "人" behind another "人". It does not mean two persons or a small group of person which has less "人" than "众". Chinese ancestors use this drawing to means Follow.  "从" is one "人" following another "人". "从" is created by the method of "会意" to use two hieroglypgic "人" to represent meaning of Follow or Fellowship. It is an so-called associative character (hopefully my translation is correct.).

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "从"

 let us see the evolutionary history: image get from http://www.vividict.com

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "从"

 Oracle script  is one followed by another . Another Oracle script has added  (which is one side of a road cross ) . has more clear meaning that is one person walking along the road followed by another person. When it evolved to Bronze script  further added foot to mean two walking on their feet.

Modern Traditional  Chinese character "從" followed the path of , while Simplified Chinese character "从" followed the path of .

 So "从" or "從" means Follow.
Since a person follows another person in some project, it means he/she participate as well. so "从" or "從" also means Participate.
And since a person follows another person, it means he/she is dominated by another person, so "从" or "從" also means Subordinate.

 Let us enjoy a Chinese calligraphy with "从" or "從" inside:

Learn one Chinese Character a day - "从"

 Next day we will check the meaning of "比", its Oracle script writing is , remember what we learnt just now , can guess the meaning of ? it is another Chinese character created by method of "会意".