中国汉字英文介绍Chinese Characters
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对汉字的介绍英文作文Title: Exploring the Beauty and Complexity of Chinese Characters。
Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi (汉字), represent one of the world's oldest and most fascinating writing systems. Their intricate strokes and profound meanings have captivated scholars and learners for centuries. In this essay, we will delve into the origins, structure, and significance of Chinese characters, shedding light on their role in shaping Chinese culture and identity.Origins and Evolution:The history of Chinese characters can be traced back over 3,000 years to ancient China. Originally, they were pictograms, simple drawings that represented objects or concepts. Over time, these pictograms evolved into more abstract symbols, known as ideograms, which conveyed ideas rather than specific images.One of the earliest forms of Chinese writing is found on oracle bones and bronze vessels dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE). These inscriptions provide valuable insights into the language and culture of ancient China. As civilization progressed, the script underwent numerous reforms and standardizations, leading to the establishment of the modern Chinese writing system.Structure and Composition:Chinese characters are composed of strokes, basic units of writing that are combined to form complex characters. There are eight basic types of strokes, includinghorizontal lines, vertical lines, and hooks, each of which contributes to the unique appearance of a character.Characters are typically organized into radicals, fundamental components that carry semantic or phonetic meaning. Radicals serve as building blocks for more complex characters and play a crucial role in character classification and dictionary lookup. For example, thecharacter 水(shuǐ), meaning "water," consists of the radical 氵, which indicates its semantic category.Semantic and Phonetic Elements:Chinese characters often contain both semantic and phonetic elements, allowing for a balance between meaning and pronunciation. Semantic radicals provide clues to the character's meaning, while phonetic components indicate its pronunciation. This dual structure enables Chinese speakers to infer the meaning and pronunciation of unfamiliar characters based on their existing knowledge of the language.For instance, consider the character 妈 (mā), meaning "mother." It consists of the radical 女(nǚ), meaning "woman," and the phonetic component 马(mǎ), which sounds similar to the character's pronunciation.Cultural Significance:Chinese characters are more than just a means ofcommunication; they embody the richness and diversity of Chinese culture. Through their intricate designs and nuanced meanings, characters reflect the values, beliefs, and history of the Chinese people.Moreover, Chinese characters play a vital role in preserving cultural heritage and promoting national identity. They are an integral part of traditional art forms such as calligraphy and seal carving, which require precision, discipline, and aesthetic sensitivity. By mastering these art forms, individuals can deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and express theircreativity through the written word.Challenges and Opportunities:While Chinese characters offer a window into the past and a gateway to cultural exploration, they also present challenges for learners, both native and non-native. The sheer number of characters, estimated to be over 50,000, can be daunting for beginners, requiring years of study and practice to achieve proficiency.However, advancements in technology have made learning Chinese characters more accessible than ever before. Mobile apps, online courses, and digital flashcards provide interactive tools for learners to practice writing, reading, and memorizing characters. Additionally, machine learning algorithms can assist in character recognition and language processing, facilitating communication between speakers of different languages.Conclusion:In conclusion, Chinese characters represent a unique blend of art, language, and culture, encompassing thousands of years of history and tradition. Their intricate structure, rich symbolism, and cultural significance make them a subject of fascination and admiration worldwide. By studying Chinese characters, we gain not only linguistic proficiency but also a deeper appreciation for the enduring legacy of Chinese civilization. As we continue to explore the beauty and complexity of Hanzi, we unlock new insightsinto the human capacity for creativity, expression, and communication across time and space.。
汉字的介绍英文作文Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are logograms used in the writing of the Chinese language. Each character represents a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning in a language. There are thousands of Chinese characters, but only a few thousand are commonly used in modern Chinese.The origins of Chinese characters can be traced back to ancient times, with some characters dating back to over3,000 years ago. They have evolved and changed over time, but their basic structure and form have remained relatively consistent. Chinese characters are written with a brush or pen, using various strokes and combinations of strokes to create different characters.One unique feature of Chinese characters is that they are not phonetic. This means that the character itself does not give any indication of how it is pronounced. Instead, the pronunciation of a character is learned separately fromits meaning and form. This can make learning Chinese characters challenging for non-native speakers.Chinese characters are not only used in China, but also in other East Asian countries such as Japan and Korea,where they are used alongside their own native writing systems. This has led to a shared cultural heritage and a common understanding of certain characters across East Asia.In recent years, there has been a push to simplify and standardize Chinese characters, particularly in mainland China. This has led to the creation of simplified characters, which are used alongside traditional characters in different regions and contexts. Despite these changes, traditional Chinese characters continue to be widely used and appreciated for their aesthetic and cultural significance.。
介绍汉字的英文素材作文Chinese characters are the oldest continuously used writing system in the world, with a history dating back more than 3,000 years. They are a unique part of China's cultural heritage and have been widely used in East Asiafor centuries. In this article, we will introduce the basics of Chinese characters and their fascinating history.Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are a logographic writing system that uses symbols to represent words and ideas. There are over 50,000 Chinese characters, but only around 20,000 are commonly used. Each character is made up of a number of strokes, which are the basicbuilding blocks of the characters.The earliest Chinese characters were found on oracle bones, which were used for divination during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). These characters were mainly used to record divinations, but they also contained information about daily life, such as food, clothing, and tools. Overtime, the characters became more complex and were used to record historical events, literature, and philosophy.The standardization of Chinese characters began during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), when the emperor ordered the creation of a uniform script for the whole country. This script, known as seal script, was the ancestor of modern Chinese characters and was used for official documents and inscriptions on bronze vessels.During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), a new script called clerical script was developed, which was easier to read and write than seal script. This script was widely used for everyday writing and became the basis for the modern Chinese script.In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), a new script called cursive script was developed, which was even easier towrite than clerical script. This script was used for personal correspondence and informal writing.Today, Chinese characters are used in China, Taiwan,Hong Kong, Macau, and other Chinese-speaking regions. They are also used in Japan and Korea, where they are known as kanji and hanja, respectively.Learning Chinese characters can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Chinese characters not only represent words and ideas, but they also contain cultural and historical significance. By learning Chinese characters, you can gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and history.In conclusion, Chinese characters are a unique and fascinating part of China's cultural heritage. They have a long and rich history, and they continue to be an important part of Chinese culture today. Whether you are interested in Chinese culture or simply want to learn a new language, learning Chinese characters is a rewarding experience.。
中国汉字英文作文家Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are the logograms used in the writing of Chinese and some other East Asian languages. Each character represents a morpheme, which is a meaningful unit of language. There are thousands of Chinese characters, and each one has its own unique shape and pronunciation.The history of Chinese characters dates back to ancient times, and they have evolved over thousands of years. The earliest known Chinese characters were found on oracle bones, which were used for divination during the Shang dynasty. Over time, the characters have been standardized and simplified, but their basic forms have remained largely unchanged.Learning Chinese characters can be a challenging task, as there are so many to memorize. Each character has its own stroke order, and it takes time and practice to learn to write them correctly. However, once you have masteredthe characters, you can read and write in Chinese, which opens up a whole new world of literature and culture.Chinese characters are not just used in China; they are also used in other countries with Chinese communities, such as Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. In fact, Chinese characters are so widespread that they are considered one of the most widely used writing systems in the world.In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Chinese characters, as more and more people around the world are learning Chinese as a second language. This has led to the development of new methods and technologies for teaching and learning Chinese characters, making it easier than ever for people to master this ancient writing system.。
介绍汉字的英语作文Introduction to Chinese Characters。
Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are thewritten symbols used in the Chinese language. They are one of the oldest writing systems in the world and have a rich history dating back thousands of years. Chinese characters are not only a form of communication, but they also carry cultural and artistic significance. In this essay, we will explore the origins, structure, and significance of Chinese characters.The origins of Chinese characters can be traced back to ancient China, where they were developed and refined over centuries. The earliest forms of Chinese characters were found on oracle bones and bronze vessels dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). Over time, the characters evolved and became standardized, leading to the complex system of characters used in modern Chinese writing.Chinese characters are unique in that each character represents a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning in a language. This means that each character can convey a specific word or concept, making the Chinese writing system highly efficient and compact. In addition, Chinese characters are logographic, meaning that each character is a visual representation of a word or idea, rather than a phonetic representation as in alphabetic writing systems.The structure of Chinese characters is highly intricate and follows specific rules and principles. Each characteris composed of strokes, which are the basic building blocks of the characters. There are eight basic strokes in Chinese calligraphy, and these strokes are combined in various ways to form the thousands of characters in the Chinese writing system. The order and direction of the strokes are also important, as they can affect the overall appearance and meaning of the character.Chinese characters are not only a means of communication, but they also hold cultural and artisticsignificance. The calligraphy of Chinese characters is considered a highly esteemed art form, and skilled calligraphers are revered in Chinese culture. The beauty and elegance of Chinese calligraphy can be seen in traditional Chinese paintings, poetry, and other forms of art.In conclusion, Chinese characters are a unique and fascinating writing system with a rich history and cultural significance. They are a reflection of the ancient civilization of China and continue to be an important part of Chinese culture today. Whether it is through the beauty of calligraphy or the depth of meaning in each character, Chinese characters are a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the Chinese people.。
英语作文介绍汉字Title: Introduction to Chinese Characters。
Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi (汉字), are an integral part of Chinese culture and language. With a history spanning thousands of years, Chinese characters have evolved into a complex system of writing that reflects the richness and depth of Chinese civilization. In this essay, we will delve into the structure, history, and significance of Chinese characters.1. Structure of Chinese Characters。
Chinese characters are composed of strokes, the basic building blocks of the characters. There are eight basic strokes: horizontal (一), vertical (丨), left-falling (丿), right-falling (丶), dot (点), hook (折), rising (撇), and turning (捺). These strokes are combined in various ways to form characters.Characters are typically organized into radicals, which are components that give clues to the meaning or pronunciation of the character. Radicals can be thought of as the "building blocks" of characters. For example, the character 水(shuǐ), meaning "water," consists of the radical 氵, which indicates water-related meanings.2. History of Chinese Characters。
英文作文介绍汉字Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are logograms developed for the written Chinese language. Each character represents a single syllable and is composed of one or more strokes. There are thousands of different characters, each with its own unique meaning and pronunciation.The history of Chinese characters can be traced back to ancient times, with the earliest known examples dating back to the Shang dynasty. Over the centuries, the characters have evolved and changed, but their basic form andstructure have remained largely unchanged.One of the most fascinating aspects of Chinese characters is their visual beauty. Each character is a work of art in itself, with its own distinct shape and form. The strokes and lines that make up the characters are carefully balanced and arranged, creating a sense of harmony and balance.Learning to read and write Chinese characters can be a daunting task for non-native speakers. Each character must be memorized individually, and there are no easy shortcutsor tricks to mastering them. However, many people find the process of learning characters to be a rewarding andfulfilling experience.In addition to their aesthetic appeal, Chinese characters also play a crucial role in preserving and transmitting Chinese culture and history. The charactersare deeply intertwined with Chinese literature, philosophy, and art, and they are an essential part of what makes Chinese civilization unique and distinctive.Overall, Chinese characters are a fascinating and integral part of Chinese language and culture. Their beauty, complexity, and historical significance make them a subject of endless fascination and study for people around the world.。
汉字英文介绍作文500字英文,Chinese characters, also known as Hanzi, are the logographic writing system used in the Chinese language. Each character represents a word or a concept, and the system has been in use for over 3,000 years. There are approximately 50,000 characters in existence, but only about 20,000 are commonly used.中文,汉字,又称为汉字书写系统,是中文语言中所使用的表意文字。
每个汉字代表一个单词或一个概念,这个系统已经使用了超过3000年。
现在大约有5万个汉字存在,但只有大约2万个是常用的。
As a native Chinese speaker, I have been using Chinese characters since I was a child. Learning to read and write Chinese characters is a long and difficult process, but it is also very rewarding. Each character has a unique stroke order and structure, and it takes time and practice to master them.作为一个中文母语者,我从小就开始使用汉字。
学习阅读和书写汉字是一个漫长而困难的过程,但也是非常有价值的。
每个汉字都有独特的笔画顺序和结构,需要时间和实践来掌握。
One of the challenges of learning Chinese characters is that they are not phonetic like the Roman alphabet. This means that you cannot simply sound out a word by looking at its characters. Instead, you need to memorize the meaning and pronunciation of each character individually.学习汉字的挑战之一是它们不像罗马字母那样具有语音特征。
中国汉字英文作文Chinese characters are one of the oldest writing systems in the world, with a history dating back thousands of years. Each character is a symbol that represents a word or a morpheme, and there are thousands of characters in the Chinese language.Learning Chinese characters can be a challenging task for non-native speakers, as each character has its own unique stroke order and pronunciation. However, many people find the process of learning Chinese characters to be rewarding and enjoyable.In addition to their linguistic function, Chinese characters also have aesthetic value. Calligraphy, the art of writing Chinese characters, is highly regarded in Chinese culture and is considered a form of artistic expression.In modern times, the use of Chinese characters hasextended beyond traditional writing to digital communication. With the rise of social media and messaging apps, Chinese characters are commonly used in emojis, stickers, and other forms of visual communication.Overall, Chinese characters are a fascinating and integral part of Chinese culture and language. Whether used in traditional calligraphy or modern digital communication, they continue to play a significant role in everyday life.。
English for graduates majoring in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other LanguagesOrigin of Chinese CharactersFrom /08olympics/2008-07/09/content_136328.htm Different from Western characters, Chinese characters are square and indicate either pronunciation or meaning or both. Chinese characters provide a convenient tool for imagery thinking.With language, ancient humans began accumulating knowledge through which human culture came forth. With characters, they recorded the language and communicated with each other, which distinguished man from animals. It is characters that drew a line between the primitive and civilized periods of human society.There are various sayings in ancient Chinese documents concerning the origin of Chinese characters, such as "tie knots(结绳)," the "Eight Diagrams(八卦)," "picture," and "carved characters," among others. The legendary story about Cang Jie creating characters is generally recorded in ancient books. According to ancient records, Chinese characters were created by Cang Jie, a history officer of the legendary Yellow Emperor(黄帝).Huainanzi (Masters in the Kingdom of Huainan) says that it was because of the characters Cang Jie made that the Heaven rained grains and ghosts cried at night. Xun Zi and Shi Jing (The Book of Odes颂歌) and other ancient books also record the legend of Cang Jie creating Chinese characters. By the Qin (221-206BC) and Han (206BC-220AD) dynasties, the legend had become more widespread and had more far-reaching(深远的) influence.Historians in the past once tried to prove whether there was a person named Cang Jie in history, and if he did exist, when he lived, but they failed to draw a conclusion due to lack of irrefutable(adj.不能反驳的, 不能驳倒的)proof.Some people guessed that Cang Jie was the historiographer(历史学家;史料编纂者)of the Yellow Emperor. Xunzi thought Cang Jie must have been a prehistoric wise man who sorted out and standardized the characters that had already been in use.Evidently the legend of Cang Jie cannot be accepted as the truth, forany script can only be a creation developed by people to meet the needs of social life over a long period of trial and experiment. Chinese characters are a huge and complicated system, and they could only have come into being after a long period of creation and development.According to modern researchers, the ancestors of the Chinese people tied knots in rope to record events. Later, they adopted sharp weapons to inscribe(雕、刻)signs, and developed the earliest form of Chinese characters. Archeologists(考古学家)have found inscribed signs on Neolithic(['niə'lɪθɪk]新石器时代的)pottery(陶器)shards(碎片)in Banpo Village in Shaanxi Province. These signs, dating back to some 6,000 years ago, were possibly the seeds of later Chinese characters.Inscribed signs, a little younger than those found in Banpo Village, were also found on pottery along the lower reaches of the Yellow River (黄河下游). There, archeologists found a sign with shapes of the moon and a five-peak mountain underneath a circle. Experts in ancient characters say the pictograph(['pɪktəgrɑːf] n.象形文字, 古代石壁画)symbolizes the interval(距离,间隔)in which the moon disappears and the sun rises. Mythology([mɪ'θɒlədʒɪ]神话学)researchers have another interpretation. Their understanding is that the moon shape symbolizes the red clouds as the sun rises, and thus the picture portrays([pɔː'treɪ]描绘)a sunrise over the sea.Most of the signs inscribed on pottery were painted red, creating an imposing(adj.使人难忘的, 壮丽的)and mysterious impression. The hypothesis is that pictographs were used in sacrificial rituals(['rɪtʃʊəl]宗教仪式)dedicated to(献给)the sunrise or as prayers for good harvests. They were inscribed in an orderly way, and the strokes(笔画)are full of strength. Similar signs and designs have been found in other regions in China, indicating they had become generally recognized. These are the earliest symbols, or pictographs, in China and are more than 5,000 years old.In Qinghai Province in western China, pottery objects of approximately the same period and inscribed with images of birds, insects and animals have been unearthed(掘出). These, too, are regarded as pictographs. According to philologist(文献学者;语言学者)Tang Lan(唐兰), Chinese characters originated from pictures; The older the characters, the more they look like pictures. Since pictures have no fixed forms, the ancient Chinese characters were generally free in form.Xu Shen, a philologist of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), divided Chinese characters into six categories. Modern scholars have since reduced them to three types, of which the pictographic character is one. The picture signs are the embryos(['embrɪəʊ]胚胎)of both calligraphy and painting, which gave rise to the Chinese saying that calligraphy and painting have the same origin. At first, the pictographic characters differed from region to region. As time went by, however, they become more standardized, abstract and united, and the earliest Chinese written language, Jiaguwen (shell and bone writing) appeared.Very important website: /index.htmNote: omniglot=omni+glot;omni=(Greek) all;glot=(Greek) language (see English glossary);omniglot=all languages.Origins of writing in ChinaFrom /writing/chinese.htmMost linguists believe that writing was invented in China during the latter half of the 2nd millennium BC and that there is no evidence to suggest the transmission of writing from elsewhere. The earliest recognizable examples of written Chinese date from 1500-950 BC (Shang dynasty) and were inscribed on ox scapulae and turtle shells - "oracle bones".In 1899 a scholar from Beijing named Wang Yirong noticed symbols that looked like writing on some "dragon bones" which he had been prescribed by a pharmacy. At that time "dragon bones" were often used in Chinese medicine and were usually animal fossils. Many more "oracle bones" were found in the ruins of the Shang capital near Anyang in the north of Henan province.The script on these "oracle bones" is known as 甲骨文(jiăgŭwén) - literally "shell bone writing". They were used for divination, a process which involved heating them then inspecting the resulting cracks to determine to answers to one's questions. The bones were then inscribed with details of the questions and the answers. Most of the questions involved hunting, warfare, the weather and the selection of auspicious days for ceremonies.A collection of oracle bones in the National Palace Museum near Taipei.Recently archaeologists in China have unearthed many fragments of neolithic pottery, the oldest of which date from about 4800 BC, inscribed with symbols which could be a form of writing. None of these symbols resemble any of the Shang characters and the likelyhood of deciphering them is remote given the paucity of material.The Chinese writing systemChinese is written with characters which are known as 漢字[汉字] (hànzi). The characters were originally pictures of people, animals or other things, but over the centuries they have become increasingly stylized and no longer resemble the things they represent. Many characters have been combined with others to create new ones.Until the early 20th century, Classical Chinese, 文言(wényán), was the main form of writing in China. It was standardized during the late Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) and was also used in Korea, Japan and Vietnam before they developed their own writing systems.In Classical Chinese most words were monosyllabic and written with a single character. However, during the 1920s a new form of written Chinese modelled on spoken Mandarin was developed. Most Chinese publications since then have been written in this form, which is known as 白話[白话] (báihuà), though Classical Chinese constructions and especially proverbs are still used to some extent.In spoken Chinese, words are made up of one, two or more syllables. Each of the syllables is written with a separate character. Each character has its own meaning, though many are used only in combination with other characters.Every character is given exactly the same amount of space, no matter how complex it is. There are no spaces between characters and the characters which make up multi-syllable words are not grouped together, so when reading Chinese, you not only have to work out what the characters mean and how to pronounce them, but also which characters belong together.How many characters?The Chinese writing system is an open-ended one, meaning that there is no upper limit to the number of characters. The largest Chinese dictionaries include about 56,000 characters, but most of them are archaic, obscure or rare variant forms. Knowledge of about 3,000 characters enables you to read about 99% of the characters used in Chinese newspapers and magazines. To read Chinese literature, technical writings or Classical Chinese though, you need to be familiar with at least 6,000 characters.UsageCharacters can be used on their own, in combination with other characters or as part of other characters.StrokesFrom /writing/chinese.htmChinese characters are written with the following twelve basic strokes:A character may consist of between 1 and 64 stokes. The strokes are always written in the same direction and there is a set(固定的)order to write the strokes of each character. In dictionaries, characters are ordered partly by the number of stokes they contain.NotesThe 39-stroke character (3 x thunder) means "the sound of thunder" and is always written doubled (靐靐). The 48-stroke character (3 dragons) means "the appearance of a dragon walking".HomophonesThere are approximately 1,700 possible syllables in Mandarin, which compares with over 8,000 in English. As a result, there are many homophones - syllables which sound the same but mean different things. These are distinguished in written Chinese by using different characters for each one.Not all the following characters are pronounced with the same tone, so to Chinese ears they sound different. To Western ears however they all sound the same. These syllables can be distinguished in speech from the context and because most of them usually appear in combination with other syllables.If you look closely, you will notice that some of the characters above have parts in common. These parts give you a clue to how to pronounce the characters.More examples of homophonesIt is even possible to write a text in Chinese using on one sound, pronounced with different tones, of course. This is exactly what Chinese linguist, Zhao Yuanren, did when he wrote the "Story of Shi Eating the Lions" using nothing but the sound 'shi'. The story makes sense in written form, but is impossible to understand when read aloud.You can see and hear the story on:/onlinelit/stonelion.html施氏食獅史shi1 shi4 shi2 shi1 shi3Story of Shi Eating the Lions石室詩士施氏, shi2 shi4 shi1 shi4 shi1shi4,A poet named Shi lived in a stone room,嗜獅,誓食十獅. shi4 shi1, shi4 shi2 shi2shi1.fond of lions, he swore that he would eat tenlions.氏時時適市視獅. shi4 shi2 shi2 shi4 shi4shi4 shi1.He constantly went to the market to look forten lions.十時,適十獅適市. shi2 shi2, shi4 shi2 shi1shi4 shi4.At ten o'clock, ten lions came to the market是時,適施氏適是市. shi4 shi2, shi4 shi1 shi4shi4 shi4 shi4.and Shi went to the market.氏視是十獅,恃矢勢, shi4 shi4 shi4 shi2 shi1,shi4 shi3 shi4,Looking at the ten lions, he relied on hisarrows使是十獅逝世. shi3 shi4 shi2 shi1 shi4shi4.to cause the ten lions to pass away.氏拾是十獅屍, 適石室. shi4 shi2 shi4 shi2 shi1shi1, shi4 shi2 shi4.Shi picked up the corpses of the ten lions andtook them to his stone room.石室濕,氏使侍拭石室. shi2 shi4, shi1, shi4 shi3shi4 shi4 shi2 shi4.The stone room was damp. Shi ordered aservant to wipe the stone room.石室拭,氏始試食十獅屍. shi2 shi4 shi4, shi4 shi3shi4 shi2 shi2 shi1 shi1.As the stone den was being wiped, Shi beganto try to eat the meat of the ten lions.食時, 始識十獅屍, shi2 shi2, shi3 shi4 shi4shi2 shi1 shi1,At the time of the meal, he began to realizethat the ten lion corpses實十石獅屍. shi2 shi2 shi2 shi1 shi1. were in fact were ten stone lions.試釋是事. shi4 shi4 shi4 shi4 Try to explain this matter.Compound wordsChinese verbs and adjectives generally consist of one character (syllable) but nouns often consist of two, three or more characters (syllables):Simplified Chinese charactersThe Simplified script (a.k.a.<also known as又名> Simplified Chinese) was officially adopted in the People's Republic of China in 1949 in an effort to eradicate(根除)illiteracy. The simplified script is also used in Singapore but the older traditional characters are still used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia.A second round of simplifications which was published in 1977 but proved very unpopular and was abandoned in 1986.About 2,000 characters have been simplified in a number of different ways (the simplified characters are shown in red):Many simplified characters are based on commonly used abbreviations:Others retain only one part from the traditional character.Some replace the phonetic element of the traditional character with a simpler one that is pronounced in the same or in a similar way:In some cases, several traditional characters are represented by one simplified character:Recently the traditional characters have started to make a come back, particularly in southern China.Sample text in ChineseHànyŭ pīnyīn transliterationRénrén shēng ér zìyóu, zài zūnyán hé quánlì shàng yīlǜpíngdĕng. Tāmen fùyŏu lĭxìng hé liángxīn, bìng yīng yĭ xiōngdì guānxì de jīngshén hùxiāng duìdài.Direction of writingTraditionally Chinese was written from right to left in vertical columns. The first publication in Chinese using horizontal (left to right) text was Robert Morrison's Dictionary of the Chinese language, published in 1815–1823 in Macau. The increasing use of words in Western languages, especially English, in Chinese texts from the early 20th century made horizontal texts more popular.Since 1949 horizontal writing has become the standard in the PRC, and all PRC newspapers changed from vertical to horizontal text in 1956, though some headlines are written vertically, as are inscriptions(题字)of signs on most state organizations.The horizontal writing of Chinese is normal in Singapore, and it has been gradually adopted in Hong Kong, Macao and in overseas Chinese communities since the 1990s.Vertical text remains popular in Taiwan however, though horizontal text is used as well. In Taiwan newspapers and magazines with vertical text, some of the headlines and titles are written horizontally right to left across the top of the main text.Use of Chinese characters for other languagesChinese characters are used to write Modern Standard Chinese, which is based largely on spoken Mandarin. Other varieties of Chinese, especially Cantonese, are sometimes written with Chinese characters, or with a combination of characters and words in the Latin alphabet. Some of the characters used are archaic(陈旧的,古老的)or invented specifically for these languages.Chinese characters have been used to write Japanese and Korean and Vietnamese. They are still used in written Japanese, in combination with hiragana(平假名-日文字母的草体)and katakana(片假名), and to a much lesser in written Korean, while Vietnamese is now written with the Latin alphabet.Evolution of Chinese CharactersFrom /writing/chinese_evolution.htmThe images(图象)below illustrate how a number of Chinese characters have changed over time from their earliest known pictographic(象形文字的)forms, to the versions used today.The Large Seal and Small Seal scripts are still used to write names on personal name chops(官印), and are also occasionally used to write company names on buildings, stationery(文具), name cards, etc.The Grass script (a.k.a. <also known as又名> Cursive script) is used mainly for Chinese calligraphy. Each character is written with one continuous stroke, which enables very rapid writing, though characters written in this way are difficult to read. Legibility(易辨性)is not a primary concern for Chinese calligraphers, instead they aim to produce calligraphy that is aesthetically(审美地)pleasing.The Simplified script(a.k.a. Simplified Chinese), was officially adopted in the People's Republic of China in 1949 in an effort to eradicate illiteracy. It is also used in Singapore.Sample textsSmall Seal Script (小篆)Clerical Script (隸書)Standard Script with zhùyīn fúhào (楷書)Running script (行書)Grass scriptSimplified characters (简体字)。