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THE ELEMENTARY
CHARACTERS.
19
stituent
parts
would
lead
to
the
erroneous
impression
that
pigs
under
a
roof
was
the
original
notion
to
be
conveyed;
but
a
Chinese
authority,
noticed
by
Dr.
Schott,
makes
the
figure
below
to
consist
of
the
character
jin
yv
'man'
placed
in
three
different
positions,
and
this
would
at
once
suggest
the
idea
of
a
family
t.
53.
The
elementary
figures
or
characters
are
technically
termed
radicals
and
primitives.
The
radicals,
which were
formerly
about
five
hundred
in
number,
are
now reduced
to two
hundred and
fourteen;
the
primitives
amount
to
about one thousand
seven
hundred
in
common use.
These,
with
the
radicals
and
the
characters
compounded
with
both
classes,
include
nearly
all
the
characters
existing
in
Chinese.
54.
The radicals have
been
sometimes
denominated
keys;
but the
term
radicals
is
very
suitable
when
we
consider
their
meaning
and use.
They
include
the
names of
simple
objects,
natural
and
artificial,
and
serve as
generic
heads
for
classes
of
characters; and,
in
the absence
of an
alphabet,
they
are
employed
as
an
index
to
the
whole
language, just
as an
alphabet
is
used
in
European tongues.
55.
The
Chinese
term
for the
radicals
is
ts-pu
-^ ^j|)
'
character-class
or classifier.'
They
are
arranged
according
to
the
number
of
strokes
required
to
form
them.
We
have
given
them
below
under
this
arrangement,
and
recommend
the
student
to
use
his
best
efforts
to
acquire
them
so
as
to write
them
correctly.
TABLE
OP
THE
RADICALS.
Note.
Of
the
two
numbers
given
after each
radical,
the
former
represents
the
number
of
characters extant under
that
radical,
and
the latter
the
num-
ber of those
in
common
use. The words
in
brackets show
the
position
of
the
radical
in
its derivatives.
(Com.)
means
that the
radical
is
in
use
as
a
com-
mon word.
The
asterisk
marks
those
radicals which
are
frequently
found
in
compounds.
Formed
with
one
stroke.
1.
yl*
'one,
the
same'
(various).
44.
16.
2.
I
kwan
'perpendicular'
(through).
22.
2.
This
radical is used
as
a
sign
of the
repetition
of
a
character.
3.
^
chil
'a
point,'
also called tien
|E|
when
used
as a
stop
or dot.
n.
2.
4.
/
pi
'a
curve,
a
sweep
to
the
left'
(various).
24.
8.
5.
(_
yi
'a crooked
line, one;'
a
horary
character.
42.
8.
6.
4
ku 'a
hooked
stroke'
(various).
20.
3.
t
See
Dr.
Schott's
Chinesische
Sprachlehre.
4to. Berlin,
1857, p,
22.
D
2
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20
THE ELEMENTARY
CHARACTERS.
Formed
with
two
strokes.
7.
^
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THE
ELEMENTARY
CHARACTERS.
21
Formed
with
three
strokes.
30.
t
[J
k'eit*
'a,
mouth'
(com.) (left,
below).
1047.
128.
31.
I I
hwiil* 'an
enclosure'
(obs.)
(encloses).
119.
16.
32.
-4-
t'u*
'earth,
soil'
(com.)
(left,
under).
579.
56.
Sometimes
radicals
170
and
150
are
used
instead
of
this.
33.
-j^
s
'a
scholar;
a
statesman'
(com.) (above,
right).
25.
4.
34.
//
chl
'to
follow'
(obs.)
(above).
12.
i.
35.
25
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22
THE ELEMENTARY
CHARACTERS.
54.
5
ying
(
&
long
journey'
(obs.)
(left).
10.
5.
Used
for
radical
162.
55.
^ff *
kung
'folded
hands'
(below).
51.
2,
56.
-
yl
'a
dart'
(right).
16.
2.
57.
p4
kung
*
'a
bow'
(com.)
(left, below).
166.
15.
58.
EEl
ki,
r=l*
or
/7,
'a
pig's
head'
(obs.) (above).
26.
2.
59.
-^
sfom
'long
hair'
(right).
53. 7.
60.
4
chi*
'to
walk'
(obs.)
(left).
227.
26.
Formed
ivith four
strokes.
6
1.
;[V*
swi
*,
contr.
|',
'the
heart'
(com.).
(The
contr.
form on the
left;
the
full
form,
below or
elsewhere).
1077.
142.
62.
HF
ko*
'a
spear'
(com.) (right),
in.
15.
63.
S
M
'a
one-leaved
door;
a
family'
(com.) (above).
45.
5.
64.
-==p-
sheil*,
contr.
i,
'the
hand'
(com.). (The
contr.
form
on
the
left;
the
full
form,
below).
1092.
46.
65.
=
& chl
'a branch'
(com.)
(right).
27.
2.
66.
~&pu*,
contr.
jfr,
'to touch'
(right).
296.
21.
67.
-^f
?$w,
contr.
fy,
'to
paint
letters'
(com.).
Contr.
form
seldom
used.
(below).
23.
2.
68.
2J-
&&