hanzi
Chinese writing symbols
Hanzi are the characters used to write Chinese, each representing a morpheme or word rather than a sound.
The system comprises thousands of characters, ranging from simple strokes to complex pictographs.
Learning hanzi is central to Chinese literacy: She's memorized about two thousand hanzi.
The term comes from Chinese and literally means "Han characters." Also written as two words: Han zi.
Root-indicating symbol
- strokeSudden brain blood blockage
- componentElement of a system
- pictogramSymbol using visual likeness
- logogramSymbol representing entire word
ideograph · compound · phonetic · semantic · stroke order · horizontal · vertical · dot
Bristled cleaning tool
- inkstoneSlab for grinding pigment
- rice paperThin edible Asian wrapper
- scrollWound document of parchment
- cursiveJoined handwriting style
couplet · copybook · practice · master · composition · balance · elegance · artistry
High-ranking government official
- CantoneseSouthern Chinese dialect
- pinyinChinese-to-alphabet conversion system
- toneQuality of sound
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
homophone · morpheme · syllable · meaning · polysemy · vernacular · transliteration · romanization
Made less complex
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- orthographyStandard writing conventions
- scriptWritten words for performance
- handwritingManual letter formation
penmanship · typeface · font · typography · inscription · engraving · print · cursive
Learning aid with prompt and answer
- spaced repetitionReview method using increasing gaps
- stroke orderSequence for drawing characters
- memorizationCommitting information to recall
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
dictionary · character count · proficiency · literacy · mnemonics · primitive · keyword · review
radical
Root-indicating symbol
logogram · ideograph · compound · phonetic · semantic · stroke order · horizontal · vertical · dot · hook
brush
Bristled cleaning tool
- inkstoneSlab for grinding pigment
- rice paperThin edible Asian wrapper
- scrollWound document of parchment
cursive · couplet · copybook · practice · master · composition · balance · elegance · artistry · flourish
Mandarin
High-ranking government official
pronunciation · homophone · morpheme · syllable · meaning · polysemy · vernacular · transliteration · romanization · reading
simplified
Made less complex
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- orthographyStandard writing conventions
- scriptWritten words for performance
handwriting · penmanship · typeface · font · typography · inscription · engraving · print · cursive · standard
flashcard
Learning aid with prompt and answer
- spaced repetitionReview method using increasing gaps
- stroke orderSequence for drawing characters
- memorizationCommitting information to recall
recognition · dictionary · character count · proficiency · literacy · mnemonics · primitive · keyword · review · drilling
- East AsiaChina, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Korea
- symbolssymbols, runes, symbol, asterisks, national symbol
- translationtranslator, literal translation, literary translation, free translation, French translation
- Asian studiesKorean language, Chinese history, Japanese history, Asian history, Japanese literature
- Chinese dictionariesdictionaries, Chinese-English, English-Chinese, entries, definitions
- Chinese writingcharacters, character, radical, radicals, strokes
hanziRoman letters
Western phonetic writing system
Latin alphabet · alphabet · ABC · phonemes · syllabary
hanzicuneiform
Stylus-impressed ancient script
hieroglyphics · Latin script · Roman script · Roman alphabet · Hebrew script