Five Basic Strokes and their Serial Codes

五类笔形及其编码

wǔlèi bǐxíng jíqí biānmǎ

Five Basic Strokes and their Serial Codes

Youxuan Wang

2011-11-12

>> Full article

>> Onbline discussion: 
Youxuan Wang. (2011, November 13). 'What the organizing principle for arranging the sequence of two radicals/classifiers whihc share a string of stroke order serical code? ( 如何根据笔画来排列笔顺编号相同的汉字或部首？). Zdic. <http://bbs.zdic.net/thread-156346-1-1.html>.

Configuration of Radicals in the Chinese Characters

部首之间的空间关系及汉字的字形结构

Dr Youxuan Wang

University of Leeds

2011-10-25

In our three-step analytic approach to the study of Chinese characters, we see a character first as the configuration of radicals. We divide the character into sections, and figure out how the sections are spatially related. 

Take the word "谢" (from the expression"谢谢") for example. In this case, we will see this character as a structure made up of the three building blocks: "讠" ，"身" and "寸" which are arranged horizontally from left to right.

To begin with, we want to find out as to how many building blocks there are in a character and want to know how these buidling blocks are spatically arranged. Different words may have the same or different number of building blocks; and their building blocks may or may not be configured in the same way. By classifying the various ways in whcih the radicals are spatially arranged in a character into a finite number of types, we can learn to write Chinese characters more efficiently.

Different analytic systems give different classifications. A widely known classification is the list of 15 configurations attributed to Fu Yonghe (傅永和, 1989).

1.  Indivisible figuration (独体结构),e.g.：

五、一、乙、无、午、车

"五" is not subject to further spatial division.

2. Left-to-right 2-part configuration (左右结构),e.g.：

语、好、汉、行、妈、妹、谁

"语" features a left-right configuration of '讠' and '吾'.

3. Top-to-bottom 2-part configuration (上下结构), e.g.：

哥、怎、志、爸、苗、字、去、杂

"哥" features a configuration of "可" and "可", with one standing on top of the other.

4. Left-to-right 3-part configuration (左中右结构), e.g.：

啊、谢、彬、湖、棚、椭

"湖" features a three-part structure in which the radical "古" is flanked by radicals "氵" and "月".

5. Top-to-bottom 3-part configuration (上中下结构), e.g.：

奚、蓝、髻、禀、亵

"奚" features a top-middle-bottom configuration of "爫","玄" and "大".

6. Top-right enclosure (右上包孕结构), e.g.：

句、包、可、司、式 、寸、马

"包" shows "勹" closing in on "巳" from top and right sides.

7. Top-left two-side enclosure (左上包孕结构), e.g.：

庙、灰、病、房、屋、尼、有

 "庙" features "广" closing in on "由" from top and left side.

8. Left-bottom two-side enclosure (左下包孕结构), e.g.：

还、进、这、建、连、毯、尴

 "还" features  "辶" closing on  "不" from the left and bottom sides.

9. Right-bottom two-side enclosing (右下包孕结构), e.g.：斗

 "斗" features an enclosure by "十" from the right and bottom sides.

10. Top-down three-side enclosure (上三包孕结构)，e.g.：

同、问、闹、周、闻

 "问" features a "口" sourrounded by "门" from top, left and right sides.

11. Bottom-up three-side enclosure (下三包孕结构)，e.g.：

击、凶、函、画

 "凶" features an enclosure from left, bottom and right sides .

12. Left-right three-side enclosure (左三包孕结构)，e.g.：

区、巨、匝、匣

 "区" features an enclosure  from top, left and bottom sides.

13. Four-side complete enclosure (全包围结构)，e.g.：

困、国、园、圆、图、囚、团、因、囹

 "困" features a "木" surrounded by the four walls of "囗" .

Note that any part of the above configurations may be further divided. For example, the left-hand side of no. 2 configuration (e.g. 收) can be split into two levels, and the shape of the character as a whole will thus result in a no. 14 configuration (e.g. 数). The right-hand side of the no. 2 configuration  can similarly be split into two rows, and the whole character will result in no. 15 configuration （e.g. 楼）. Likewise, the upper part of no. 3 configuration (e.g., 思) can be divided into two colomnes and the whole character (e.g. 想) will become no. 16 configuration.

14. Left-right two-part configuration with the left hand side split into two levels, e.g.:
数，别、劲、敬、歌

15. Left-right two-part configuration with the right-hand side split into two levels, e.g.:
博、播、镄、喝、拐

16. Pyramid configurations: two levels with the bottom level split into two parts (金字塔结构)，e.g.：

品、飝、飍、 龘、 馫

17. Top-bottom two-level configuration with the top level split into two parts, e.g.:
想、憋，弊、贺、梵

Stroke order and the configuration of radicals:

Closely related to the topic of this article is the question of stroke order. Please proceed to read the article 'The Stroke Orders of Chinese Characters' which addresses the question of the stroke order in all configurations. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-do-radical-matter.html>. 

Conclusion: 

Stop trying to learn a character by counting the strokes and memorising their sequence in the first instance. First and foremost, divide the character into its composing radicals and work out how the radicals are spatially related.

We will discuss the semantic and etymological aspects of the radicals in a separate article. It's only at the level of the radicals shall we draw our attention to the strokes.

References:

'Bihua 笔画'.Wikipedia. URL: <http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AC%94%E7%94%BB#.E6.8F.90>.

Fu Yonghe 傅永和（主编）. Hanzi shuxing zidian 《汉字属性字典》.北京：语文出版社，1989.

'Hanzi jiegou 汉字结构'. 百度百科. URL: <http://baike.baidu.com/view/1137679.htm>. Accessed on 2011-11-05.

List of Commonly Used Characters in Modern Chinese 《现代汉语通用字表》.  URL: <http://www.china-language.gov.cn/wenziguifan/shanghi/014c.htm>. Accessed on 2011-11-05.

Wang, Youxuan. 'Five basic strokes and their stroke code'. 2011-11-13. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/11/stroke-code-and-stroke-order.html>. 

Wang, Youxuan. 'The most common radicals in Chinese characters'.URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/10/shortlist-of-most-common-characters.html>.

Wang, Youxuan. 'The Stroke Orders of Chinese Characters'. 2011-12-05. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-do-radical-matter.html>.

The Most Commonly Used Classifiers of Chinese Characters

Share this page: <http://goo.gl/jirLrd>.

常见汉字偏旁名称表

Chángjiàn Hànzì Biānpáng Míngchēng Biǎo

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The following table lists the most commonly used radicals that a beginning student should familiarise himself/herself with in his/her study of the Chinese characters. Similar tables are available everywhere on the Internet, but this one is adapted from a source on the Xīnhuá Zìdiǎn 新华字典 website: <http://xh.5156edu.com/page/18315.html>. 

In the list presented here, I have made a number of distinctions which are useful to the learners. For instance, I have described the stroke order of the radicals by listing their stroke codes (click the link for a separate article), and re-arranged the sequence of the list accordingly. I have distinguished the left-阝from the right-阝as they are of different etymological origins. I have also removed alternative names of the same radical. 

The list will be expanded in the course of our programme. Some of the most commonly used individual radicals will be explained in class. To students of advanced Chinese at a later stage, a systematic study of the etymology of all the essential radicals is recommended.

Youxuan Wang
2011-10-21

Radical	Stroke Order	Name	Examples
厂	13	piānchǎngr 偏厂儿	厅、历、厚
匚	15	sānkuānglánr 三匡栏儿	区、匠、匣
刂	22	lìdāopángr 立刀旁儿	列、别、剑
冂	25	tóngzìkuāngr 同字匡儿	同、网、周
亻	32	dānrénpángr单人旁儿	仁、位、你
勹	35	bāozìtóur 包字头儿	勺、勾、句
冫	41	liǎngdiǎnshuǐr 两点水儿	次、冷、冰
冖	45	tūbǎogàir 秃宝盖儿	写、军、冠
讠	45	yánzìpángr 言字旁儿	语、说、请
卩	52	dān'ěrpángr 单耳旁儿	卫、印、却
阝	52	yòu'ěrdāor 右耳刀儿 (right)	邦、那、郊 鄢、郢
阝	52	zuǒ'ěrdāor 左耳刀儿 (left)	防、阻、院
廴	54	jìànzhīpángr 建之旁儿	建、延、廷
厶	54	sīzìr 私字儿	允、去、矣
扌	121	tíshǒupángr 提手旁儿	扛、担、摘
土	121	títǔpángr 提土旁儿	地、场、城
艹	122	cǎozìtóur 草字头儿	艾、花、英
廾	132	nòngzìdǐr 弄字底儿	开、弁、异
尢	135	yōuzìpángr 尤字旁儿	尤、龙、尥
囗	251	fāngkuàngr 方匡儿	因、国、图
彳	332	shuāngrénpángr 双人旁儿	行、征、徒
彡	333	sānpiěr 三撇儿	形、参、须
犭	353	fǎnquǎnpángr 反犬旁儿	狂、独、狠
夂	354	zhéwénr 折文儿	冬、处、夏
饣	355	shízìpángr 食字旁儿	饮、饲、饰
广	412	guǎngzìpángr 广字旁儿	庄、店、席
丬(爿)	412	jiàngzìpángr 将字旁儿	壮、状、将
氵	441	sāndiǎnshuǐr 三点水儿	江、渴、活
忄	442	shùxīnpángr 竖心旁	情、快、性
宀	445	bǎogàir 宝盖儿	家、定、宾
辶	454	zǒuzhīpáng 走之旁	过、还、送
子	521	zǐzìpángr 子字旁儿	孔、孙、孩
纟	551	jiǎosīpángr 绞丝旁儿	红、约、纯
巛	555	sānguǎir 三拐儿	甾、邕、巢
王	1121	xiéyùpángr 斜玉旁儿	玩、珍、班
木	1234	mùzìpángr 木字旁儿	朴、杜、栋
牛	3112	niúzìpángr 牛字旁儿	牡、物、牲
攵	3134	fǎnwénpángr 反文旁儿	收、政、教
火	4334	huǒzìpángr 火字旁儿	灯、灿、烛
灬	4444	sìdiǎnr 四点儿	杰、点、热
礻	4524	shìzìpángr 示字旁儿	礼、社、祖
	11134	chūnzìtóur 春字头儿	奉、奏、秦
皿	25221	mǐnzìdǐr 皿字底儿	盂、益、盔
罒	25221	sìzìtóur 四字头儿	罗、罢、罪
禾	31234	hémùpángr 禾木旁儿	和、秋、种
钅	32225	jīnzìpángr 金字旁儿	钢、钱、铃
疒	41341	bìngzìpángr 病字旁儿	症、疼、痕
衤	45234	yīzìpángr 衣字旁儿	初、袖、被
癶	54334	dēngzìtóur 登字头儿	癸、登、凳
虍	215315	hǔzìtóur 虎字头儿	虏、虑、虚
⺮	314314	zhúzìtóur 竹字头儿	笑、笔、笛
米	431234	mǐzìpángr 米字旁儿	粉、料、粮
⻊	2512121	zúzìpángr 足字旁儿	跃、距、蹄

Adapted from source: <http://xh.5156edu.com/page/18315.html>

Read also:

Complete list of the classifiers used in Chinese dictionaries of characters 汉语字典部首表.

URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/classifier-radicals.html>.

Wang, Youxuan. (2011). 'Configurations of radicals in the Chinese characters'. 2011-10-25. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/10/spatial-relations-among-radicals-in.html>.

Wang, Youxuan. (2011). 'Five basic strokes and their stroke code'. 2011-11-13. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/11/stroke-code-and-stroke-order.html>.

Wang, Youxuan. (2011). 'The stroke order of Chinese characters'. 2011-12-05. URL: <http://intensive-chinese.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-do-radical-matter.html>.

 
>> Onbline discussion: 
Youxuan Wang. (2011, November 13). 'What is the organizing principle for arranging the sequence of two radicals/classifiers whihc share a string of stroke order serical code? ( 如何根据笔画来排列笔顺编号相同的汉字或部首？). Zdic. <http://bbs.zdic.net/thread-156346-1-1.html>.

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