Caracters of lesson 3

是 shì: to be
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 日 sun; 𤴓 variant of 正 upright, just.
Etymology : 是 shì is composed of two parts: at the top, the component 日 rì, which means "sun" or "day", and at the bottom, the component 正 (zhèng), which means "upright" or "correct". In ancient writings, 是 originally represented the idea of truth or correctness, which evolved to signify the affirmation of a state or existence.

他 tā: he, him
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 亻 human; 也 viper or vase.
Etymology : The character 他 tā originally borrowed the phonetic form of a snake character 它 tā. The human component 亻 was later added to form the character 佗. 他 is a variant of this character. This variant was preserved.

她 tā: she. Pronounced the same as "he" but the character is different: the left component represents the woman.
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 女 woman; 也 viper or vase.
Etymology : Before the 20th century, the pronoun "tā" to mean "she" did not exist separately. This character was created to mark a gender difference in modern written language by replacing the human component 亻 with that of the woman 女 on the left side of the character "他" tā.

的 de: possessive particle (see grammar)
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 白 white; 勺 spoon.
Etymology: 的 is composed of 白 (white) on the left, and of 勺 (spoon) on the right. Together, they originally expressed bright clarity, useful for helping people discern and grasp things around them. By extension, it became the center of a target. This meaning is still found in some words. It is then pronounced dì.

叫 jiào: to be called
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 口 mouth; 丩 two connected ropes.
Etymology : 叫 jiào is a character formed from the mouth 口, which represents sounds or the act of speaking, and the phonetic part 丩 (jiū), which indicates the pronunciation. 丩 jiū originally represented two connected ropes.

什 shén: has no meaning on its own. 什么 shénme: what?

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 亻 man/human; 十 ten.
Etymology: 什 shén or shí is a character composed of a radical and a phonetic part. It is formed from the human radical 亻 (variant of 人, "man") on the left, and the phonetic part 十 (shí, "ten") on the right. Originally, 什 referred to a group of 10 soldiers.

么 me: has no meaning on its own. 什么 shénme: what?

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 厶 private.
Etymology : 么 me or ma is a simplified character mainly used in interrogative words like 什么 ("shénme", "what" or "which"). It is the simplification of the traditional character 麼. This character is composed of the phonetic element 麻 má hemp, and of 幺 yāo "a very fine thread". The character 麼 originally meant "fine". Now, the character 么 is mainly used in interrogative expressions and colloquial words.

谁 shéi: who?

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 讠 speech; 隹 short-tailed bird.
Etymology : 谁 shéi (or shuí) is the simplified form of 誰. It is composed of the speech radical 讠 (simplification of 言, which means "speech" or "language"), indicating a link with communication or questioning, and the phonetic part 隹 zhuī, representing a short-tailed bird and serving here as a phonetic component.

老 lǎo: to be old, old

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 耂 cap; 匕 spoon.
Etymology: 老 lǎo is a pictogram representing an elderly person bent over a cane with long hair.

师 shī: (master), does not stand alone on its own. The word "master" is said 师父 shīfu

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 刂 knife (vertical variant of 刀); 一 one ; 巾 fabric, scarf, turban.
Etymology : 师 shī is an ideogram. It is a simplification of 師 which is composed of two elements: on the left, the component 𠂤 representing a small hill; on the right, 帀 zā which meant "to encircle". The original character designated a group of soldiers making rounds around the camp. By extension, 师 has become a term to designate a master or teacher, an authority figure in a specific field.

同 tóng: similar

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 冂 inverted box; 一 one; 口 mouth.
Etymology : 同 tóng is an ideogram. It is composed of two elements: at the top, the component 凡 fán "all, together", and inside, the character 口 kǒu, which means "mouth" or "opening". Together, they evoke the idea of several people united by the same voice. By extension, 同 has come to mean "together", "identical" or "similar".

学 xué: to learn
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: ⺍ small; 冖 roof; 子 child.
Etymology : 学 xué is an ideogram. The traditional character 學 provides a key to understanding its composition. It is formed of two hands 臼 surrounding calculating sticks 爻, the roof 冖 mì, and the child 子 zǐ. Together, the character evokes children under a roof, suggesting the idea of a place dedicated to study and learning. The simplified version 学 retains this symbolism by simplifying the roof and omitting certain strokes.

请 qǐng: to invite, please
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 讠 speech; 青 qīng blue-green.
Etymology : 请 qǐng is an ideophonogram. It is formed from the speech component 讠 which gives the idea of invitation and the phonetic component 青 qīng (blue-green).

问 wèn: to ask, question

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 门 door; 口 mouth.
Etymology: 问 wèn (simplified form of 問) is composed of 门 mén (door) and of 口 kǒu (mouth). Originally, it represented the action of questioning at the entrance of a house. By extension, it has taken on the meanings of "to question", "to ask".

名 míng: (first name)

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 夕 dusk; 口 mouth.
Etymology: 名 míng is composed of two parts: the mouth component 口 at the bottom, associated with language or the act of speaking, and the upper part 夕, which represented the moon or night and now designates dusk. In ancient China, names were often given during dusk ceremonies, hence the association with night. This character symbolizes the idea of naming someone in a formal or ritual context.

字 zì: written character
Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 宀 roof; 子 child.
Etymology: 字 zì is composed of two elements: the roof 宀 on top, representing shelter or a house, and the phonetic component 子 zǐ, meaning "child". In ancient Chinese culture, teaching writing to children was traditionally done at home. Thus, 字 evokes the idea of a written character, linked to children's education under a roof.

明 míng: (light, clarity, name of the Ming Dynasty, 1368 - 1644)

Character decomposition:

Graphic components: 日 sun; 月 moon.
Etymology: 明 míng is an ideogram. It is composed of two elements: 日 rì meaning "sun" on the left, and 月 yuè meaning "moon" on the right. The combination of sun and moon symbolizes the idea of clarity and illumination, as the sun shines during the day and the moon at night. 明 thus represents light, knowledge, and by extension the notion of understanding or insight.

月 yuè: month / (moon)
Character decomposition:

Component: 月 is a component with the meaning of "moon".
Etymology: 月 yuè is a primitive pictogram representing a crescent moon. This character symbolizes both the lunar body and the concept of month, linked to the lunar cycle.