c




Ô







` Believed to have begun in
2nd half of 2nd millennium
BC

` Earliest examples of
Chinese writing date to
1500-950 BC (Shang
dynasty)

` Inscribed on ox scapulae
and turtle shells ± ³oracle
bones´
 u
  
` Ôracle bones developed into Chinese
characters which have gone through several
phases

` Presently there are 2 completely different

sets of characters: non-simplified and
simplified
 ½





   
` ºdopted in the People's Republic of China in 1949

` Northern dialect of Mandarin

` Known as {
 (plain language)

` Not all writers wanted to adopt the new style

` Traditional characters are still used in Taiwan, Hong Kong,

Macau and Malaysia.
×  




 

 
 ] 
   
` There have been many attempts to group
characters for learning purposes.

` 4 groups of characters:
Pictographs
Ideographs
Compound pictograph/ideographs
Semantic-phonetic compounds
 Œ
  
` Characters primarily came from picture drawings.

` These were usually sketches of the most basic

elements of the object
Œ
  
   

` Ideographs are visual representations of abstract

ideas.
   

one two three above below middle

c 
  c 
  
` Compound pictographs and ideographs combine
one or more pictographs or ideographs to form
new characters. Both component parts contribute
to the meaning of the compound character.
½
 
c 
 


Pinyin is a way to represent characters and express sounds
in Chinese language using the Roman alphabet.

u

 

    
 - Pronounciation between "ch" and "ts"
 - Pronounciation between "sh" and "s"
 Pronounciation between ³r" and ³j"
 - Sounds like "dz"
 - Sounds like "dj"
 ‰  
` 2    This is the highest tone you
can pronounce in a simple and normal
way. It is pronounced with a steady
pitch.
 
` ½   Rising pitch from low to
high.

` ‰   2irst sinking pitch at the

same time as the voice is lowered,
followed by a rising pitch and stronger
voice.  
` 2  fast sinking pitch with a
sharp end.
Toneless: Relax in your mouth and let
the tone fall where it is natural.
`  
‰  2lat, with no emphasis.


½
 ]  

1. Top before bottom
2. Left before right
3. Left vertical stroke (usually) before top
horizontal stroke
4. Bottom horizontal stroke last
5. Center stroke before wings
6. Horizontal strokes before intersecting vertical
strokes
7. Left-falling strokes before right-falling strokes
8. Minor strokes (often) last