汉字故事Free to learn from

Character stories

Watch a real thing become a Chinese character — and see how that character was built.

Pictographs

象形字

The character is a picture of the thing itself — a tree, a fish, the rain.

Free to watch15 sec

From a woman standing to 女

一个站着的女生,写成「女」

A woman stands facing you, arms out, legs apart. Three brush lines trace her: head, body and one leg; the other leg from the waist; both arms. She fades to a shadow that stays behind, and the lines stretch into 女. This picture is a memory aid, not the old form — the oracle-bone 女 is a woman kneeling with her arms crossed, and you can see it in the evolution row.

Free to watch15 sec

From an open mouth to 口

一张嘴,写成「口」

A mouth opens to say 'ah'. Three brush lines trace the lips — the left corner, the upper lip running round the right corner, the lower lip — and the face fades to a shadow. The three lines slowly straighten into 口: the corner becomes the left side, the upper lip the top-and-right turn, the lower lip the bottom line. The sound is an apple being eaten, bite by bite.

Free to watch17 sec

From a baby in a wrap to 子

襁褓里的婴儿,写成「子」

A baby wrapped in a cloth, arms out, giggling. Three brush lines trace the baby — a circle round the head, the body, the two arms — and the baby fades to a shadow. The lines draw in to the oracle-bone 子: a square head, arms like a U, one line down. Then they stretch into 子: the head becomes the top stroke, the body the hooked stroke, the arms the line across.

The lesson

学习视频

How Chinese characters are built — the whole picture, in one sitting.

Free to watch8 min

The four ways Chinese characters are built

汉字的四种造字法

The full eight-minute lesson on the four ways every Chinese character was built — pictures (象形), pointers (指事), meaning-sums (会意) and sound-halves (形声) — ending back on the street signs you can suddenly read.

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