2. zhǐ shì zì
• Indicative characters (指 事 字 ), which are also
called “simple ideograms”, express abstract
meanings by simple symbols.
• Characters of this sort either add indicators to
pictographs to make new meanings, or illustrate
abstract concepts directly.
• The indicative characters are much fewer in
number than the pictograms.
3. • In the examples below, low numerals are
represented by the appropriate number of
strokes:
4. shàng xià
In the characters "上 "and "下", an iconic indication above and
below a line is used to express the directions “up” and “down”.
shàng
上 Up
xià
下 Down
5. běn mò
In "本"(root) and "末"(treetop),a short string
underneath and a short string upside are
respectively used to indicate the positions of a
root and treetop.
