Questions tagged [characters]

Questions about Chinese characters, called Hanzi.

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Are 赢 and 蠃 somwhow related?

Does anyone knows how/if the wasp character 蠃 is related to win 赢 character? Online searches came up empty.
MBdr's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
137 views

Creation of Chinese characters throughout history?

The Shuowen Jiezi, compiled around 100 AD, contain entries for some 10,000 Chinese characters. The Kangxi Dictionary, compiled almost two millennia later, contain over 47,000 characters. Of the ...
andrew's user avatar
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4 answers
135 views

How do I get from 菩 to Bodhisattva?

Can Anyone shine a light on how does 菩 relate to the concept of Bodhisattva/ enlightenment? From what I’ve found online this 汉字 is originally related to ‘spit’ and that just doesn’t make sense to me. ...
MBdr's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
554 views

How do you read XXX (replacement for unknown characters in a name, etc.)?

The screenshot is from a book about Lin Biao. I wonder how the XXX in XXX同志 (roughly Comrade XYZ or Comrade So-and-So) would be read, if someone were to read it out aloud. Do you read the X as 某? Also,...
imrek's user avatar
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1 answer
82 views

What does this mean (handwriting)

Can you all help me to translate this character. It was written on machine that was delivered to me, and it is malfunctioning, i thought this might give me a clue.
Benjamine Graham's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
95 views

What is the difference between 暍 and 热? [closed]

大家好 What is the difference between 暍 and 热 and when they are used ? 谢谢
Lee's user avatar
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2 answers
109 views

Does 靆 mean anything on its own (not followed by 靉)?

Same question with 靉. I know together they make a literary translation of 'dark' in the context of clouds.
Octopodes's user avatar
  • 271
2 votes
2 answers
178 views

When to use literary chinese in modern day?

According to wiktionary: Sinologists distinguish between the language as used in antiquity (Classical Chinese), and the language used after the fall of the Han Dynasty (Literary Chinese), similar to ...
IEatMy Pizza's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
146 views

汉语里的这种看似而并非纯属口语、平时不跟他字搭配成词的字有特别的名字吗?

据我所观察,以下字均符合这两个条件:一、看似而并非纯属口语(词典作根据),二、平时不跟他字搭配成词。进一步说,在这些字中,很多平时会被其他频率较高的字或词所代替。 且看: 字:蒙(哄骗) 例句:你别蒙我。 字:蒙(胡乱猜测;碰运气) 例句:这球踢进门,全是蒙上的。 字:蒙(糊涂;不清楚) 例句:一上台就蒙了,不知道该说什么好。 字:蒙(昏迷) 例句:被人打蒙了 字:磨(消耗(时间); 拖延) 例句:...
dry_apricot_09's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
77 views

Were/are counting rods ever treated as characters?

Looking at Yang Hui's triangle we can see notations like: and These are known as: counting rods. Were/are these ever treated at actual characters? The two pictures above should stand for six and ...
Mou某's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
116 views

what's the meaning/origin of 呲东西停不下来桑?

I came across this sentence that is puzzling me, especially the last characters: 呲东西停不下来桑 Its meaning should be "I can't stop eating" but I cannot really understand where is coming from. ...
Mashimo's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
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Meaning of early written versions of 地 and etymology?

The glyph origin section of https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%9C%B0 shows characters that look nothing like the modern "地" (with the exception of the "Small Seal Script" in "...
D.R's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
234 views

Does the character 大 make a name seem "Unsophisticated"

Recently, I had someone from Taiwan help me create Chinese name for myself to use when writing/communicating with those in Chinese speaking areas. In our discussion, I had suggested 大恩 as a given/...
Matthew Castellana's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is 乜 doing in my landlord's WeChat message 明天有人在家乜?

I live in Beijing, and my landlord (who I think is from the Dongbei region) sent our group this WeChat message yesterday: 明天有人在家乜 We're getting a new fridge delivered, and she wants to know if ...
Becky 李蓓's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
35 views

Dedicated craftsman locution

Could the phrase 事業心 be applied to a noun that means something like a “craftsman” (技工) or possibly artisan? How might I say “a dedicated craftsman” with “dedicated” in the sense of “focused and with ...
CTurner's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
187 views

Can anyone help identifying this chinese seal stamps on a painting?

I am trying to identify three seal stamps. However I am rather unsuccessful... There are the three that are on the painting : If someone can help... I have to admit that it is really difficult and I ...
Libel's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Does this building on chinese painting exist for real ? May the text which come along be of any help?

I am wondering if this building on a chinese painting is for real ? Or just if something close exists... it may be on an island and is rather cubic... I have nearly zero knowledge of chinese ...
Libel's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
516 views

Interpretation of 冂 in 大盂鼎

I was recently looking into the origins of the character「冖」, which《說文新證》states does not appear on its own in the texts excavated so far: 現有考古文字材料未見獨體的冂(偏旁或作冖)字,... However, searching「冖」on 小學堂 gives ...
wang_xiao_ming's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
193 views

Chinese characters on original Art (Painting and Litho on Wood) I bought in China

Does anyone know what the chinese characters say on these pictures? I bought them in China while visiting a few years ago and everyone always asks me what they mean. I love them but would love to know ...
bannisterja's user avatar
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2 answers
89 views

What's a mnemonic for remembering the characters in 建议 and 意见?

This is a little bit embarrassing, considering I'm currently studying HSK6-level content, but I cannot memorize how to write the HSK4 words: 建议 (jiàn​yì​) CC-CEDICT: to propose / to suggest / to ...
Becky 李蓓's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
204 views

Help identifying a kanji

Well, generic questions like these are found aplenty, so I apologise in advance. That being said, I've spent the last hour trying to find the kanji in the image below (sadly, to no avail). Here is ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
59 views

Need a last character [closed]

I have this character who is a triplet but I am having a hard time figuring out what the last character of her name should be. So far her other triplet sisters are named 任子婷 and 任子婧, and I wanted her ...
rpgrv's user avatar
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3 votes
4 answers
651 views

Using a one-character vs two-character word

One of the difficulties I have in Chinese is I feel there is a disconnect between learning the words and using them/reading them in formal texts. For example, I have learnt that 年 means years, and ...
cgo's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
414 views

Reconstruction of Old Chinese "少"

There are many characters that have the initial "m-" and contain "少" as a phonetic element at the same time, such as 妙, 秒, 眇, 竗, etc. I thought this was a good reason to judge that ...
hmje's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
176 views

Identify this radical or character

Thank you in advance or your help. I am working on a small word puzzle in which the puzzle's creator uses some Mandarin characters. There is one that I have not been able to identify. It might be a ...
Alex7's user avatar
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1 answer
166 views

Please help identify characters in my seal on a modern brush painting

I am trying to find information on the characters in the red seal in the lower right corner of a painting.It is on paper and seems modern. I suppose it is a signature, Thanks for any information
Karen's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
242 views

Please help identify this signature and seal

I have 2 art sketches my grandfather brought home from WW2. I think the signature is Chinese and would like to know if this is true and what it says. I’d be grateful for any help.
Tom Mc's user avatar
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0 votes
3 answers
217 views

How salient is the graphic similarity of 戲, 謔, 虐 to readers?

The last two lines of 淇奧 - Qi Yu, in the Shijing as it is printed today are: 善戲謔兮, 不為虐兮. Will an ordinary Chinese reader today notice the etymological connection between 戲, 謔, and 虐?  It seems to me ...
Colin McLarty's user avatar
2 votes
5 answers
198 views

Criteria of making an acceptable word/character in Chinese

In the English language, the dictionaries are updated yearly to include new words and modifications of current spellings that have been accepted due to common usage. For example, the internet age saw ...
cgo's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
316 views

What is this character: ⿺见↷见 / ⿺見↷見?

Yesterday, March 3rd '21, in advance of IRG Meeting No. 56, IRG posted document: IRGN2469, entitled CJK Unified Ideographs Extension H. One of the characters in the document grabbed my attention: Or ...
Mou某's user avatar
  • 36k
1 vote
4 answers
907 views

How does a foreigner's handwriting look to a native?

How do Chinese characters foreigners or beginner Chinese learners write appear to natives? Is there a difference? Does it depend on how long they have been learning, or are they all different from a ...
Ultimate Qwerty's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
81 views

Can someone translate what is written in this photo please?

Please i need help translating this into english. I have no idea what it says.
Curious George's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Why does the Chinese language have so many characters?

There are more than 50,000 characters in Chinese languages. What is the reason behind it? Are all 50,000 characters in use?
Dark Knight's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
160 views

What's the meaning of 娷?

While inputting PinYin's shui, I got the character 娷 among others. Neither automatic translators nor dictionaries gave me an accurate translation of it. I can identify the radicals 女 (female) and 垂 (...
Rusurano's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
797 views

How are Chinese people taught Chinese Hanzi?

I don't study Chinese at all, nor have any plans to, I just wanted wanted to ask a basic question on how Chinese people learn Hanzi. I study Japanese, so I study Kanji, which is the use of Chinese ...
ワニの瞬間's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
55 views

What does 迫不及待 开始倒计 mean?

This line came from 深呼吸 by Yu Quan 羽泉。 迫不及待 - anxious to wait 开始倒计 - begin counting down Would it just be translate as 'anxious to wait, I begin to count down'?
Kate's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Chinese-characters learning software for Ubuntu (Linux)

I am looking for a software that shows a Chinese alphabet/word on my desktop with its pinyin and meaning in English, and each day it will give a different word. Since I am using a Linux (Ubuntu 18.04) ...
Lee's user avatar
  • 27
6 votes
2 answers
896 views

How did 漢 come to represent the Han people and civilization?

It appears that this character consists of a meaning part and a sound part: a water radical (i.e. section header for water in Kangxi dictionary) for meaning, and the character 𦰩 for sound. Radical - ...
MikeLangStudent's user avatar
20 votes
1 answer
4k views

What's this new Chinese character which looks like 座?

I keep seeing this new Chinese character on social media: What is this?
Mou某's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
172 views

Can you help me to decipher these 2 prints from the same seal

These are the 2 sides of the same seal. One yin and one Yang
jlphch's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
95 views

What are other words worth learning that follow this pattern with 象?

Today I realised that: 象 means "elephant" which is the biggest land-dwelling animal, 亻+ 象 = 像 means "statue" which is the biggest person (I mean, a statue is the biggest ...
musialmi's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
115 views

Does anyone know the names for each relative in mandarin?

I know in mandarin each relative has a specific name. I tried searching it up, but I can't find anything. Can someone provide me the resources, please?
Redwood's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
106 views

What are the characters in this seal? (Characters identified: 拏雲心事人不知)

What are the characters in this seal? Does this phrase come from a poetic or philosophical Chinese text?
jlphch's user avatar
  • 57
1 vote
2 answers
133 views

The Etymology of the word 有的

Im having trouble wrapping my brain around why the characters "有的" are chose to represent the idea of "a smaller amount of a larger group" or more directly in english: the word &...
Kalcifer's user avatar
  • 111
-2 votes
1 answer
247 views

Learning a Hanzi a day?

Currently Japanese is my sole language focus, and I would consider myself at a rather advanced level (individual Kanji knowledge surely 2000+). But I got thinking, what if I spent some 100 hours or ...
ttc100's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
276 views

Does anyone know what these characters means?

My name is Javier. Im writting because i don t understand what a seal inscription would be traslated. if anyone could hel`me i woul appreciate very much. Regards.
ejy1's user avatar
  • 39
-1 votes
1 answer
157 views

Written Japanese and Chinese speakers' understanding

I'd like to know in general how (in which measure) written Japanese is intelligible to Chinese speakers (when kana syllabaries are not used). For example a few days ago when Yoshihide Suga was chosen ...
Sebino's user avatar
  • 1
3 votes
1 answer
115 views

What means Nanfu? (Characters identified: 阿難)

A friend of mine bought that stone a while ago With the help of a friend, we were about to determine that the words in small seal script means (from left to right) 難 (difficult) and 阜 (plentiful). ...
Andy K's user avatar
  • 169
2 votes
1 answer
393 views

Besides the radical, what meaning does the rest of a Chinese character have (especially when it was originally created)?

I am a beginning student of Mandarin Chinese. There is a key thing about Chinese characters that I am trying to understand. Besides the radical, what purpose does the rest of a character have? Was it ...
MikeChinLearn's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
119 views

When 马 is used as the left component (e.g. in 骑), does the 一 héng stroke change to ㇀ tí?

I am thinking about the 马 character. I know that when you use 土 and 车 on the left in a composed character (like 地,场... and 较,辆 ...) the 3rd stroke in 土, and the 4th in 车 change from 一 héng to ㇀ tí. ...
seeeerge's user avatar

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