Fun with chinese characters 3

=——FUN WITH

CHINESE CHARACTERS
The Straits Times Collection (3)
Cartoonist:

Tan

FEDERAL

PUBLICATIONS

Singapore

Huay

+ Kuala Lumpur

Peng

» Hong Kong


Published for The Straits Times

by Federal Publications
(S) Pte Ltd
© 1983 Federal Publications (S) Pte Ltd
Times Jurong
2 Jurong Port Road

Singapore 2261
First published
Reprinted

1983
1984, 1985, 1986

All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior permission of

the publishers.

ISBN 9971 4 6074 2
Printed by Chong Moh Offset Printing Pte Ltd


PREFACE
Fun With Chinese Characters Volume 3 features another 140 characters which
first appeared in the Straits Times Bilingual Page. They trace systematically
the evolution of Chinese characters from pictographs and ideographs, introducing
radical elements and compounds with the appreciative and discerning eye of
a cartoonist.
This final collection in the highly popular and successful Fun With Chinese
Characters Series includes an indispensable index of all the characters found
in the series for easy reference.

iii

32

zhu

33

zhự

34

quan

35

quan

36

mi

37

fộn

38

Jing

39

qi

40

shi

41

fan

42

bao

43
44

gun

45

yin

46

che

47

hong

48

ki

49

lan

50

jun

51

zhan

52

54

diộ

80

lian

55

wai

81

lian

56

mộng

82

57

yộ

83

58

ming

84

59

ming

Đ5

60

yuan

86

61

cụng

87

62

xớng, hóng

88

63

dộ

89

64

dộ

90

65

ta

91

66

hộn

fea

92

jie

93

a
tƠ
J1
?II

hou

67
68
69
70

71
72
73

94

I

74
75
76
77
78

95

dai

96

gong

97

jia

98

ban

99

xiộ

100

lao

101

fan

102

RE BR on EBL mk OH At SORE SE RE SEK âu Bt he SE

li

79

ruan

Ờ

31

gou

guảng

103

SE 7 a St

li

53

xiân

104

uo

30

`

jiao

=

xiần

8

rk SS

29

watakehR

28

gud

as

yu

\ Xà RH FE + toe REM
RR A Hae mek

SASH
A SSA A
lì đ§ Sš 3X lặ Ke AR tH

aneOesrssee2etrannzraconrees

SS TH

wãng

SS

CONTENTS


109
110

111
112
113

115

124

116

125

117

126

118

127

119

128

120

129

121

130

122

131

vi

=m

123

| Be

114

RK

= B 3 lễ Hì

108

me ot it eS

107

BS

106

BA

105

132
xian

133

gao

134

jing

135

kong

136

chuan

137

pin

138

yuan

139

ér

140


WANG
king; ruler

THREE horizontal planes (= ) representing
heaven, man and earth, connected
by a vertical structure ( ! ),
form the character for king: = — the
one vested with power, between heaven and earth, to rule uprightly over

man. Originally
was a pictograph
of a string of jade beads ( $= ) which

only the royalty could afford. It eventually became the symbol for king.

FENG

+
=e A
EE
+#

gud wang
wang chao
wang chi
wang f&

EZ BIR

wang gong gui zi the nobility

king

=E ‘Ex wang gong (imperial) palace

imperial court; dynasty

=E BR wang pai

trump card

crown prince

+##

wang shi

Aix wang wei

royal family; imperial court
throne

ERK

wang zi

persons of royal lineage

the law

Example:

BEM i

>

EF

RR

AE

fie

Guo wang -si
hou
wang zi jãng
jÌ chéng wang wéi
When the king dies, the prince will succeed to the throne.

1

bã Lô

jade; gem

= represents 3 pieces of jade strung
together as a symbol for king: = .
The dot (+ ) was added to form =
(jade), distinguishing
it from =
(king). Highly valued
as a symbol of
excellence and purity, jade may be
found in its crude form, hidden in
rough stone. Hence the saying: “Jade
which is not chiselled and polished is
not an article of beauty.”
FENG

“|=
]F [E/E
EAE

KEK

vù dião

vùhuángdàdi

kìiã»KkiẪ

he

vùjébing qing
yu qi

Ef,

yu sé

EBB

yi shi shi

ER
EE

jade carving; jade sculpture
the Jade Emperor (the Supreme Deity of Taoism)
as pure as jade and as clean as ice
jade article
jade green; light bluish green
maize; corn

yi ti
yu zan

the Jade Hare — the moon
jade hairpin

Example:

x

4+ EME
1: f# #

hè ge và

đão bù

pấn

v

This jade carving is not cheap.


3i
GUO

|(R)
country; nation

BÏ is composed of

ary» g —

and

(and),

@

(spear).

@

[] (bound(mouth)

therefore

means Zt
people and weapons within a boundary
— a
country. The
simplified form
In
only £
(jade, representt king) within the boundary

[]) to produce nation: fg]. But

‹ king
needs subjects as much
as subjects need food: “People
are the nation’s source; food is
the primary need of the people.”
PLUG

L]TTIFTIEIIEIIEIIEl | BÌ

jz]

gud bin

ih
pe

gud cé <...
gud chdn
state guest

El#R

guo di

#

quo fã

the law of the land

gud gé

national anthem

lỳ

<3

2

national policy
made in our country

f=
Br

national capital

A ti 3%

guo fang . .. national defence

AK
Example:

HR

el ck RY Bo

Chàng gu

gé

shi

yào

JE.

fi

°

zheng

Stand at attention when singing the national anthem.

3

quo hul

guo jf
guoji

parliament

Xe

nationality
international

quốnà shì chăng © domestic market

EER

quo ging

[=] 33-75 [5]

qué shi fing wen

k..

National Day

state viit


# | (Ei)
XIAN

THE

appear; reveal; now

radical

is

£

(jade, gem)

contracted to £ . The phonetic
» representing eyes ( 4 ) of man

(JU), means to see. So $8,
means

the sight of a sparkling gem, its
appearance at that very moment;
now. Appearances may be revealing or deceptive. According to the
saying: “Fine words and appearance are seldom associated with
virtue.”
Pane

“ J† J7 |F iFM
HH2) —
LEK —
EWR

xiàn chăng:-.: scene (of an incident)
xiần chếngs:-: ready-made
xian di
modern times; the

BlgK
HLS

xin kuSnwso. ready money; cash
xinshí -- reality; actuality

Example:

th

xiần xiầng›s›: appearance (of things);
phenomenon

now available; existing

contemporary age

Đ#U H — 2 # 8 2

Ta lăn shang xian chủ
yi
sỉ xiầo rồng
A faint smile appeared on her face.

now; at present; today

v=

appear
discover


Li

village; mile; inside

#
originally
was
a_ village
made up of @ (fields) and +
(earth). The average length of one
side, about 600 metres, became a

measure

of length:¥

nese mile. ¥
fied form of

, a Chi-

is also the simpli. Here the radi-

cal for clothes (4%) is split and
lined

Z

inside

with

the

to suggest inside: ¥

phonetic

.

.idinigdie<=

l2

li bian

inside; in; within

HARE

li chéng

mileage; course of development

tt

lí chéng bai
Li Hai
i mian

milestone

the Caspian Sea
inside; interior

BS

{i tou

inside; interior

Ee

Bw

Example:

a

â i Ơ WW EH % -

Wi
2
lÏ miền chong măn váng quảng
The house is filled with sunshine.


LI
tH

E

(gem)

phonetic

v

polish;

reason;
principle
is the radical, and the

&

(field) and

+

is made

up of @

(land). $¥ com-

pares the cutting of a gem to the
dividing of field and land, both
done according to fixed rules and
principles; hence the extended
meaning: reason, principle. The old
saying highlights the importance
of a moral standard: “A man of
talent without principle is inferior
to a simpleton with principle.”
PENG

~

2 1%

FREE

licdi

lJ

##tt
EBS
FRAT 4K
HEA
EEE
FEE
HE

(usually in the negative)
pay attention to;
show interest in

FH

lita

haircut; hairdressing

FHSS

lihul

understand; comprehend

FH fy

=(lijié ~

understand; comprehend

FRA

Jase IP 52

J#lf

kế - science (as a school subject)

Example:

KR

Wo

yếu

®# 2

chong

fén

#

li

H

you

HH

xiang

fã ft
xin

I have every reason to believe his words.

BY th
de

hua’

+

lí lùn

theory

li shi hut

council; board of directors

li sué dang rn

of course; naturally

li xi&ng

ideal

li xing

reason

Ii you

reason; ground; argument

{i zhi

reason; intellect


a

+
v

owner; master

ZHU

= is a pictograph of a lampstand
with the flame rising above it. It

symbolises a man who spreads light
— a lord or master. To shed light,
the master himself needs the enlightening counsel: “If you suspect a
man, don’t employ him; if you employ a man, don’t suspect him.”

>[>|>|*#

`

`

`

`

`

EF

ahi bn

3
= BA
EH

host (a banquet)
zhủ dồng — initiative
ozh dul
home team; host team
nif

housewife; hostess

FF

direct; sponsor

orhichl

TEM
tk

chair (a discussion);

mign © subjective
migun
personincharge

KRM

men

MW

ying

kw + 3

gỗ

zhu

dong

% Bi
qu

jê

jn

airén’

tk
+81
ERE
=: 3

mìsi
instigate;incite; abet
nit
theme; subject; motif
mủu
chairman (of a meeting)
hiiyéo._—smain; chief; principal

EAE

EY
tk

Example:
Wo

A

th

ta

°

We ought to take the initiative to befriend him.

master

mũrn

director; chairman

úy
niyl

doctrine; -ism
idea; plan; decision


ZHU
4+

A. (man) is combined

with

live;
reside;
stay

+
{EP

zhù hù

{EO
{EF
‡:1ä
{EGE
{EE

zhi
zhi
zhù
zhù
zhù

household; resident
shut up; stop talking
stay one’s hand; stop
stay; put up; get accommodation
be in hospital; be hospitalized
residence; dwelling:

kou
shou
sù
yuần
zhãi

Example:

th A
Ta

da

BB oF IY Tel fe =F E
bù

fén

shi

jian

®

(master) to form 4% , meaning

to

dwell. In ancient days, the man (A_) was always master ( + ) of his

dwelling; so the combination 4%
suggests to dwell, to stay. In
modern times, however, some husbands still boss the house; others
house the boss.

z3ä

xuế

xiao

LE TA
?hù

He stayed at the school most of the time.

su


QUAN
=

complete;
perfect

pleted, i.e., the components are :
assembled and the work finished. :
However, the modern character,
classified under ~ (in), could be
interpreted as a jade ( % or £) -:

skilfully inlaid ( A), and so flaw- :

less

and

perfection
crucial
imperfeet
tile.”

perfect: ®

.

But

is not always
the
thing:
“Better
an
jade
than a perfect

ị
,
PEUG

4 Eh

quấn bù

whole; complete; total; all

2H

quan cai

a versatile person; all-rounder

quấnchăng

the whole audience;
all those present

17

4° GE]HE

quan gud xing

nationwide

2£

quan ji

complete works; collected works

quan jing

panorama; full view

=

Example:

KiN@®

RAH

Wo

jã

men

quấn

rến

ET
chủ

My family had gone out.

qu

»

le

jRj

4:7)

4IđÏ
ap
BER
2#

quan ja

quanii

overall situation

i.

qn miần

with all one’s strength
overall; comprehensive

quấn niấn --: annual; yearly
quan qiú ‹+:: the whole world
quan tao
complete set

&
QUAN _
THE

recover from illness

radical

⁄”

(originally J

represents a sick patient lying down

)

(—~ ) ona bed ( ). The phonetic &
means

finished

or

completed.

The

combination J& is based on the belief

mì

of physicians that when a disease
(7 ) has run its full course (2), the
patient recovers:
3 .

PEEP AAA ae
HB

quan yu

fully recover from an illness

Example:

1h
Ta

de

bing

RR
A
Se
hai

méi

you

wan

quấn

quấn

yi

He

He has not fully recovered from his illness.
10


Ve

MI

v

+
a pictograph of a rice stalk. Its original form depicted nine
grains of rice
» . This was modified to x
and finally 3E,
symbolising grains (4<) separated in the four quarters (+) by
threshing. Although the rice-bowl may represent an honest means of
living, “rice obtained by crookedness will not boil up into good food .”

rice
(uncooked)

ARK

mi bo

metric wave

+

mi fén

rice-flour noodles; vermicelli

Xì8

mi jit

tice wine

ARAL

mi Ii

grain of rice

KE

mi sé

cream-coloured

Ail]

mi zhi

the metric system

Example:

X

#

đề

ml

dị

KE
da

tì

This rice is overcooked.

T
lần

=

3

-


We

FEN

powder

FACE powder in China
once made by grinding
into fine particles. Hence
ideograph: X
neaning
powder — from X (rice)

was
rice
the
face
and

3 (divide, grind). The radicai 3X is a likeness of a rice
stalk and the phonetic 7 is a
picture of a knife severing an

object. #7 now stands for anything ground into powder.

VERE S
WE

fnb

By Fil]

fén ci

- —

chalk
acne

#21
TE
mm

fšn hông .
fen shén sul gi
fén shua

pink
have one’s body smashed to pieces; die the most cruel death
whitewash

Bp 22

fén si

vermicelli made from bean starch, etc.

ku1#

fén sul

smash; shatter; crush

Example:

fb 70K
Tả

bi

mỉ

BB mk W

mô chếng fến

°

He grinds the rice into powder form.
12


MS

H

JING

refined; essence; vigour

AK (rice) is the radical of this character
and 4 (green, pure) the phonetic. Rice,
the only grain that grows in a padi field,
is never mixed with other grains, and so

signifies something

pure.

&

(green) is

also a symbol of purity; it is the colour
of vegetation, #}
representing the alchemist’s stove and
the growing plant.
The two symbols of purity combine to
enforce the idea of refinement, essence
or vigour: *ã-

` ƑP
XI”

ý ##E#fiflfBiHH

Jng bỉng-.....'-

Xầ#
Xã?”

jing cai
jing i

*§%

jing méi

picked troops; crack troops

©)

exquisite; elegant

Example:
“hè

hud

ping

de

đão

BI 7
ké

jng qo

Xổ

Íngyề

exquisite;ingenious

~ brilliant; splendid; wonderful | #24 jing shén spirit; mind; vigour; drive
“ energy; vigour
Xñ:Ù. Ïngxin meticulously; elaborately

a HA 5-F- jing ming qiéng gan capable; able and efficient
Ke Re 7 5 jing pi Ii jié
exhausted; worn out

XX 76 HR HD BE

XöTĐ

hồn

HE Be
jing

zhi

The carvings on this vase are exquisite.

13

#8 til] jing zhi
X##⁄ jingzhi

seminal fluid; semen

made with extra care
fine; exquisite


=

\

Sl,

represents

curling

vapours

rising

and

forming

clouds.

Ancient forms_show the sun (© ) and fire (4 ) which cause

the vapours: #{ . The regular form 5a. , however, depicts the
vapour (4) ascending from boiling rice (;K.) — now simplified to 4, , meaning air, vapour, breath, energy or anger.

breath; vapour; air

d9

qi

^+%,

an

J

|l!+E%Z |⁄Z\x%
#4,

jth jth qichong chong

furious; beside oneself

aH

“4#

AN

qìhu
qì lÌ
qiqú

effort; energy; strength
balloon

climate

air temperature

“(mm

qì chuăn

with rage
asthma

SR

al fen

atmosphere

Si

qiwên

Sl

ai fen

indignant; furious

“# &

ai xiang tsi. meteorological observatory

Example:

2

#

&

#

%

U Ä% thí

Hui

tan

shi

zai

ging

gi

yếu

hào

“S4
de

qi

TH
fén

đ ÍfT °-

zhong

jin

The talks were held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

14

xing


SHI
+%,

eat; food
to eat,

general.

up of &

is the radical

Its seal form

relating

to food

in

shows that it is made

(together) and

®

2 (boiled grain,

food).
itself is a pictograph of the ricepot (© ) and its contents ( — ) with a spoon
or ladle (&).
is the signal to come

together

(4)

to eat

the

food

(#).

But

food, like knowledge, needs to be properly
digested. So: “Be quick over your work, but
not over your food.”

PAPER

FENG

4®

H8

wsh

lunar eclipse

E8

mũi

staple food

BB

qz

grain;food
shiláng
shipin — foodstuff; food; provisions
recipes; cookbook
shi pil

f®ŸR
fii

Brit

am
A

Example:

A

Mi

Zz Wứ

sh



ở

zhou

Ấ

rến

)

de

3

zhi

ã

shi

°

Rice is the staple food of Asians.
15

shi sii

board and lodging

shi tang

dining room; mess hall; canteen

shi wi

food; eatables; edibles

shi yan

go back on one’s word;
break one’s promise

shi zhi

index finger