This document discusses different types of Chinese characters. It describes how characters can be divided into independent characters or combined characters. Independent characters are further divided into pictograms or simple ideograms. Pictograms are stylized drawings that represent the thing depicted, while only about 500 characters are pictographic. Combined characters are divided into compound ideograms or pictophonetic characters. Pictophonetic characters combine a semantic and phonetic component. Examples of common pictograms are provided.

1. Lesson 02
Independent characters (1)
Pictograms

2. Independent characters and combined characters
• Chinese characters can be divided into two categories:
independent characters and combined characters.
• Independent characters can subdivided into two kinds:
pictograms and Simple ideograms.
• Combined characters can be subdivided into two kinds:
Compound ideograms and pictophonetic characters.

3. Chinese characters
hàn zì
汉 字
combined character
hé tǐ zì
合 体 字
independent characters
dú tǐ zì
独 体 字
Pictograms
xiàng xíng zì
象 形 字
(form imitation)
Simple ideograms
zhǐ shì zì
指 事 字
(indication)
Compound ideograms
huì yì zì
会 意 字
(joined meaning)
Pictophonetic characters
xíng shēng zì
形 声 字
(form and sound)

4. • In fact, there are two other categories of Chinese
characters
• They are small categories and less important.
jiǎ jiè
Rebus characters - 假 借 (phonetic loan)
zhuǎn zhù
Derivative cognate - 转 注(reciprocal meaning)

5. xiàng xíng
Pictograms ( 象 形 )

6. xiàng xíng
• Pictograms (象 形 – form imitation) represent in
stylized form the things they refer to (such as animals,
a person, or objects, etc.)
• Only 5% (about 500) of all Chinese characters belong
to the pictographic kind - stylized drawings of the
objects they represent.
• They are of crucial importance to the mastery of the
structure of Chinese characters.

7. Changes of Pictograms Pronunciation Meaning
日(rì) Sun
月(yuè) Moon
目(mù) Eye
木(mù) Tree
山(shān) Mountain
水(shuǐ) water

8. What’s the difference between the pictographic
characters and their modern version?
• -- The characters are no longer imitations of things
they refer to, but in square forms;
• -- The soft lines have been turned into solid strokes.

9. rén
人 people, person

10. zǐ
子 child，baby

11. nǚ
女 woman, girl

12. mǔ
母 mother

13. kǒu
口 mouth

14. mù
目 eye

15. ěr
耳 ear

16. shǒu
手 hand

17. zú
足 foot

18. xīn
心 heart

19. rì
日 sun

20. yuè
月 moon

21. huǒ
火 fire

22. shān
山 mountain

23. shí
石 stone, rock

24. shuǐ
水 water

25. yǔ
雨 rain

26. tián
田 field, farm

27. chē
车 cart ,vehicle

28. mén
门 door, gate

29. mù
木 tree, wood

30. guǒ
果 fruit

31. hǔ
虎 tiger

32. niú
牛 ox, bull

33. yáng
羊 sheep, goat

34. yú
鱼 fish

35. bèi
贝 shell

36. chóng
虫 worm, insect

37. mǎ
马 horse

38. niǎo
鸟 bird

39. Takk for i dag!