Because 左 and 右 are so similar in the shape, I am wondering how do you learn and remember them? I need a good method to teach.
9
-
5You could remember that "right" (右) has a "box" in it. Boxes have with right angles, you see.– KrazerFeb 13, 2015 at 18:39
-
Plus 1. Good. We are so lucky that right angle is the same right.– PdotWangFeb 13, 2015 at 19:32
-
3右有口 could be used to remember one, and consequently both.– user4452Feb 13, 2015 at 22:26
-
1What about pinyin, You4 and Kou3.– PdotWangFeb 13, 2015 at 23:39
-
1@DrunkenMaster What I see is that those are harder than, say, 前 and 后.– PdotWangFeb 13, 2015 at 23:54
|
Show 4 more comments
11 Answers
Did some research, but all I can find is that both 左 and 右 are actually the same symbol that denotes hand but reversed horizontally in ancient times. This symbol basically formed the top part of the character, which now pointed at same direction.
When I was in kindergarten, my teach used to help us to remember them by telling us 右 has a 口 in it, so it's the hand you use to hold chopsticks and eat since at the time left-hand dominance was considered to be corrected. That's why in China, you almost would not see people write or hold chopsticks with their left hand even it's their dominate hand.
左 looks like it has an "I" in it. I in the alphabet is closer to L (left obviously)
右 looks like it has an "O" in it. O in the alphabet is closer to R (right obviously)
I learned it had something to do with what you do with your hands, the only one I can recall right now is how I differentiate:
When you are working (工) you hold a ruler in left hand and draw with your right.
-
2
-
1Better than the way I did it. As a follow up the student can read the Chinesebreeze book Left and Right: The Conjoined Brothers and never forget it after that. Feb 13, 2015 at 21:09
-
@ColinMcLarty Hi, we have a logic loop problem. If I do not remember 左 and 右, how could I read the book? But if I do not read the book, how do I remember 左 and 右?– PdotWangFeb 13, 2015 at 23:33
-
If you're a bricklayer you hold your square bricks in your right hand, you hold a level or ruler in your left. The 口 is your brick, the 工 is your level.
Cheers,
-dlj.
In my brain association with politics works well. The LEFT usually support workers (左 has 工 in it) The RIGHT supports the rich and the rich always has food to eat (右 has 口 in it)
That's how I remember it, there is one char call 有(you 3) which is similar to 右(you 4) which could help you remember the sound; but for connecting with English world, I think @Alex Quan's memory hint is great :)
"You are right" is a mnemonic for
右 (yòu) being right (right-hand-side)
This is what someone taught me.
工口 look like the number 10. 1 is on the left, and 0 is on the right.
The word work has an anvil and this is in ancient times associated with work. The word right has a mouth, you bring food to your mouth with your right hand.
I like the right-angle one, as written above. One that worked for me, being a lefty, is that 左 looks like it has the English character/word "I" in it. And "I" am a "left"y.
The one that i used is that i like z more than y, and right more that left, so opposite and so z is for left and y is for left. If u don't understand its ok, cos i know its not really a good method
Also i liked the one about right angles
