Alphabets are logical, efficient and cold. Pictographs and ideographs of the Chinese characters are sometimes illogical and inefficient but always warm and interesting. Words may come alive to Western semanticists but not the letters. Those who have studied the Chinese characters come to think of them as alive and possessed of a quality above and beyond the spoken language.
In the Shang times of more than 3,500 years ago, most of the characters were pictographs. Even so, many had departed considerably from their original forms and are still recognizable as the ancestors of characters in use today. As in the Egyptian hieroglyphics, the first writing probably consisted entirely of pictures. Then came the ideographs representing an idea rather than a thing.
The numbers one, two and three were doubt less the first ideographs. They are simple horizontal lines - one line (一) for the numeral one, two (二) for two and three (三) for three. The Shang wrote a tree as a sketch showing trunk, branches and roots ( ). While this became more stylized, the later form (木) is still recognizable. The ideographic content came with the character for forest: two trees (林). The character for "above" was a short line above a longer line (上) and "below" the reverse (下).
The final addition to the characters was that of phonetics indicating pronunciation and the significs indicating categories of meaning. The word "tree" became a signific accounting for hundreds of characters involving trees and wood.
This combination of pictographs, ideographs and significs accounts not only for much of the fascination but also for a light side to the sometimes difficult and always painstaking study and learning of the characters. The combinations can be touching and humorous. No one coming first to the characters could fail to be moved by the character for "peace:" a woman under a roof (安). Add another woman and you have "trouble." A woman beside a child is "good" or "to like" (好). The character for "surname" is the character for woman and that for "to give birth" (姓).
These are some of the word combinations which, in affording a smile or even a laugh, may give insights into the Chinese character and way of life.
The basis of Confucianism is jen (仁), translated as love, goodness and benevolence. The character is composed of a radical meaning man (人) and the numeral two (二). Literally it means "gentle manliness" between two men.
Confucius said: "Within the four seas all men are brothers." The character for sea (海) is composed of the radical for water (水) and the character meaning every (每). This combination really means "where water is everywhere."
Where water has difficulty remaining still there will be a beach (灘) with tides and surf. The character is composed of the water radical (氵) and the character (難), meaning difficult.
Inland, the farmer plows his fields. The plow (犁), also used as a verb, is composed of the characters for crop (禾), cow (牛) and the knife radical (刀). Another farm tool is the hoe (鋤). The character is composed of a metallic (金) and to help (助). In other words, a Chinese hoe is a metallic helper for the farmer.
Farmers with cows keep them in a shed. "Tightly fastened" (牢) is an ideograph taken from the original pictograph. The character also means prison. However, a prisoner (囚) is a man (人) enclosed within four walls (口).
The character for prisoner (囚) has the radical expressing enclosure (口). So do many other characters.
Something that is not (不) upright (正) is crooked (歪).
Something that is small (小) on top and large (大) at the bottom is pointed (尖 ).
In-between (間) can be visualized as the opening in a door (門) through which sunshine (日) penetrates.
Leisure (閒) is the time in the evening when the door (門) is closed and moonlight (月) shines through the cracks.
The sky (天) has horizontal barriers (二) to man (人) that he can never penetrate.
A disastrous fire occurs when fire (火) pulverizes the forest (林). The character "to set fire to" is therefore (焚).
The combination of water (水) and flame (炎 ) engenders something insipid, tasteless, flavorless, weak and dull (淡).
Charcoal (炭) is formed when fire (火) is covered by a cliff (厂) underneath a mountain (山).
When meat (肉) is placed over fire (火), it is broiled or toasted (炙). A person may feel that his flesh ( 肉 ) is being heated over fire (火) when he is intimate with someone or extremely fond of (炙 ) something. When something is very attractive (炙) it can make others feel as if their flesh ( 肉 ) is being heated over fire (火).
Steam or vapor (汽) is formed when water (水) becomes breath (气 ).
When a piece of wood, a log or a tree (木) is enclosed by four walls (口 ), it is in distress or difficulty, anxious and impoverished (困 ).
A coffin (柩) is a wooden (木) box (匸 ) that keeps someone for a long long time (久).
When a dog (狗 ) becomes king (王), it is crazy ( 狂 ).
When two horses (馬) meet (交), they clash and argue ( 駮 ).
When a horse (馬) is troubled by fleas ( 蚤 ), it is annoyed (騷).
Limbs, wings of birds and legs of animals (肢) are supports (支) made of flesh (肉).
When meat (肉) is kept uncooked and un spoiled (甫), it becomes dried meat (脯).
A rug (毯) is a mass of hair (毛) like a sea of flames (炎 ).
A bamboo (竹) sprout (由) can be made into a flute, a fife or a whistle ( 笛 ).
When a knife (刀) easily (意) cuts through something, it can scrape flesh from the bones (剔).
A dart (矢) as small as a bean (豆) means short (短).
A bow (弓) is drawn (張) when it is lengthened (長).
A tent (帳 ) is a piece of cloth (巾) which has been drawn out (長) .
A staff (杖) is a ten-foot (丈) wooden (木) pole.
A shore (岸) is a fortified (干) mountain ( 山) cliff (厂) .
An armored (甲) door (門) that is always closed is a flood gate (閘).
The spot of land (土) where the arrow shot by the bow (弓) comes to rest defines the boundaries (一) of the fields ( 田) and thus the boundaries of the kingdom (疆).
When the sun (日) rises above the horizon (一), it is dawn, morning or the birth of a baby (旦)
When the infant's mouth (口) begins ( 甫 ) to perform its function, the infant is being fed (哺).
As the child becomes older and is able to speak, the mouth (口) may become perverse, knavish, artful or wicked ( 刁 ) and seize ( 叼) every opportunity to make trouble.
When the baby eats (吃), his mouth (口) is begging (乞).
When child becomes a man and is able to keep his fields (田) together under one roof (宀), he is rich (富).
When he speaks (言) to himself (己), he memorizes or makes records (記).
When a man (人) spreads words like he spreads out cloth (佈), he is announcing or making a public statement (佈).
When someone speaks (言) and divines or foretells (卜), he is announcing someone else's death (訃).
When there are three mouths (品) on top of a tree (木), there will be a chirping of birds and noise (喿).
When the ear (耳) is only an inch (寸) away from another man (人), the two are near to or attached to each other (附).
When hands (手) come extended 'from a husband or man (夫 ), one receives support and help (扶).
When hands (手) are wrapped around (包) someone or something, one is embracing someone or carrying something in his arms (抱).
When the hands (手) perform their rightful (是) duty, they lift things (提).
When the hand (手) is used to foretell (占), one is drawing lots (拈).
When the hand (手) moves stones (石), one is exploring new frontiers (拓).
The hands (手) come together (合) to pick up something (拾).
When hands (手) and feet (足) are used in action, one is trying to apprehend or arrest some one or something (捉).
When hands are tied (捆), one finds it difficult (困) to be free.
When one can support (支 ) himself, he is clever (伎), but when the hand (手 ) can support (支) him, one has a skill (技).
When a magician exposes (出) his hand (手) the trick is stupid and clumsy (拙).
The sole of the foot (跖) is the surface of the foot (足) that touches the stones (石).
When the foot (足) can easily change (易) position, it can kick (踢 ).
When the foot (足) loses (失) balance, one stumbles and falls (跌 ).
When one stops (止) less (少) he is walking (步).
When a man travels on a road (辶) like a thong (韋) sticking out from above his peers, he is disobeying and disregarding discipline, abandoning a purpose or committing an offense (違 ).
But when he follows the main (首) road (辶) and advances inch by inch (寸 ), he is being guided (導 ).
When two people (彳) walk ( 走 ) together, one is a follower or disciple (徒 ).
The belly (肚) is where the flesh (肉) is soft like soil (土 ).
When the heart (忄) is like a young (子) crop (禾) that bends with the wind, the person is perturbed (悸 ).
When the heart (心) leaps up (上) or down (下), the man is timorous and nervous (忐 , 忑 ).
When a shopkeeper's heart (忄) is in his shop (店) he is remembering or reminiscing (惦 ).
But when the heart (心) dies (亡 ), one forgets (忘).
When the heart (心) is full of eminence and exaltation (台), the man is lazy, insolent, idle and disrespectful (怠).
When fire (火). becomes eminent and exalted (台), it becomes soot (炱 ), an exalted horse (馬) becomes a worn-out horse (駘), but when the foot (足) becomes exalted (台), it tramples (跆) and when the hands (手 ) become exalted (台 ), they are raised and carrying or lifting something ( 抬 ).
When the heart (心) believes in itself (己), the man is superstitious, frightened or shy (忌 ).
When the ear (耳) listens to the heart (心 ), the man feels ashamed (恥).
When heart ( 忄) and tongue (舌) agree, one is quiet and peaceful (恬).
When the heart ( 忄) is drawn out (長) one is disappointed and dissatisfied (悵).
A thoroughbred horse (驥) is something one has always hoped ( 冀 ) to own.
The Chinese often hoped (冀) that the northern (北) fields (田 ) would always be united (共 ).
A fat (膛) person is one whose flesh (肉) seems to fill up a room or a hall (堂 ).
When a man (人) is kept simple (呆), he is being protected (保 ).
If one works (工) with effort (力), he will receive merit and win rewards (功 ).
When a man (人) takes up weapons ( 戈 ), he goes to war ( 伐 ).
When a man (人) is stopped by the edge of a blade (刀), he must turn over, lie down or be knocked down ( 刈 ).
When he reaches (至) the edge of a blade (刀), he has arrived ( 到 ) at his destination.'
When a man (人) is precipitous (崔) he urges, presses and hastens (催). But when his hands (手) are precipitous ( 崔 ), he destroys ( 摧 ).
When a person (人) is frightened or in awe (畏 ), he cuddles up ( 偎 ).
When a container (皿) lacks ( 欠 ) water (水), it is robbed ( 盜 ) of its content, thus a robber is (盜).
A grave robber digs (掘) with his hands (手 ) and bring up ( 出 ) a buried corpse ( 尸 ).
When a man (人) is as powerful as a ten-foot ( 丈 ) giant, he is strong enough to go to war ( 仗 ).
When two gentlemen (夫夫) speak ( 曰 ) for each other, they are exchanging roles (替 ).
When two men (彳) go in the same direction (方), they are imitating each other (彷 ).
When two men (彳) march together uprightly (正), they are going to war (征)."
When men (人) are together (共), they have something to offer or contribute (供 ) toward others or society. When wood (木) stays together (共), a pillar, post or prop (栱) is formed.
People used to wait ( 等 ) in the bamboo (竹) shed outside of the temple built by piling up inches (寸) of earth (土).
When a man (人) becomes as valuable as a dressed hide or leather (韋), he is admirable and a great man of high esteem (偉).
When an uncle (叔) oversees with his eyes (目), he is supervising (督) as a viceroy or a governor.
But when he becomes a servant (卒 ) of spirits (酉), he is drunk (醉). If he dislikes old (昔) spirits (酉) made from millet eight months ripe, he can use the beverage as vinegar (醋).
If he remains somewhere or dwells (居) in a place, he will grow old (古 ) there and become a corpse (尸 ).
A man marries (娶) when he takes (取) a girl (女) for himself.
And a girl (女) is married (嫁) when she finds herself a home (家).
Before that time comes, she makes herself up and when she is being (是) herself, she is fascinatingly beautiful (媞)·
If she stands like an arbor, a pavilion 'or a shed (亭), she is graceful and ladylike (婷).
When she walks and moves about like sand, she is dancing, frisking, lounging or sauntering (娑 ).
After she is married, she does some sewing, stitching or mending (縫) by making silk or thread (系) meet (逢).
When she grows old, she becomes an old woman (婆) who moves like the skin (皮) of water (水), i.e., waves (波).
When she finds that her common sense (knowledge) (知) is sick (病 ), she becomes idiotic (痴 ).
These combinations and relationships among the characters are of great importance in the learning of written Chinese. Even to read simple materials requires a knowledge of more than 2,000 characters. If these were separate and unrelated, literacy, would be rare in China. Every character learned becomes the key to others. The "radicals" - most of them significs - have become the skeleton for a system of classifying Chinese. This permits indexing, as with alphabetical systems of writing, albeit somewhat more cumbersomely and with the complication of some hard-to-classify characters.