jiān

From 小 ‘small’ + 大 ‘big’ (a pointed object moving from one to the other).

Compounds
尖锐 jiānruì – sharp, pointed, intense
尖子 jiānzi – best of the best; crème de la crème; cream of the crop

Learn more about 尖 at Wikionary

The post 尖 appeared first on Chinesegram.

jiàn

To see. This is the 147th radical, [of characters relating to sight, perception. Some explain it as an eye 目, on 人 a man. But others finds a writing more ancient than the seal writing , which is a picture of the eye emitting light. The Chinese believe that light comes out of a normal eye, enabling: it to see.

Compounds
见面 jiànmiàn – to meet; to see
再见 zàijiàn – goodbye (literally, to see again)

Learn more about 见 at Wikionary

The post 见 appeared first on Chinesegram.

zǒu

To walk, to travel, to hasten, to depart. The 156th radical. The seal character above represents a man bending over to walk rapidly 夭 , and therefore means to bend. The part underneath is 止 chih3, a foot at rest, or to stop; hence the combination may mean to bend the leg and to stop, i.e., to walk.

Compounds

Learn more about 走 at Wikionary

The post 走 appeared first on Chinesegram.

xīn

Heart, a picture in the seal writing. 61st radical. It shows the pericardium opened, the lobes and the aorta below. (W. 107 A.) In combination at the left it is written 忄,

忄 (when used as a left Chinese radical)
㣺 (sometimes when used as a bottom Chinese radical, like 慕)

Compounds

Learn more about 心 at Wikionary

The post 心 appeared first on Chinesegram.

shǒu

The hand,handy,skilled,workman. It is the radical, No. 64. When written at the side called  提手 dīshǒu. is the picture of a side view of the hand, 手 is the full palm.

扌 (龵) when used as a left Chinese radical

Compounds
手臂 shǒubì – arm
手表 shŏubiăo – wristwatch
手册 shǒucè – handbook; manual
手法 shǒufǎ – technique; trick; skill;
手风琴 shǒufēngqín – accordion
手工 shǒugōng – handwork; handicraft
手机 shǒujī – mobile phone
手枪 shǒuqiāng – handgun, pistol
手术 shǒushù – surgery; medical operation
手套 shǒutào – glove; mitten
手语 shǒuyǔ – sign language
手掌 shǒuzhǎng – palm
手指 shǒuzhǐ – finger

Learn more about 手 at Wikionary

The post 手 appeared first on Chinesegram.

péng

A friend, companion, peer. Now composed of two moons; but it has nothing to do with 月 yuè, the radical of classification in Kang Hsi, but comes from an ancient primitive  fèng representing the tail of the phoenix, and by extension meaning the bird itself, now written 凤. The character 朋 was then changed in pronunciation to péng, and taken to mean friend, because the phoenix draws all other birds after it; or two birds together, therefore friend. (Chalfant) 鹏 péng, was a fabulous bird, the roc, from which the 朋 may have denved its pronunciation of péng.

Compounds

Learn more about 朋 at Wikionary

The post 朋 appeared first on Chinesegram.

dīng

A nail (a picture)

Compounds
园丁 yuándīng – gardener, horticulturist
拉丁美洲 Lādīng Měizhōu – Latin America
丁香 dīngxiāng – lilac, clove
丁字尺 dīngzìchǐ – T-square

Learn more about 丁 at Wikionary

The post 丁 appeared first on Chinesegram.

zhuī

Short-tailed birds, is the radical, No. 172. The seal forms show it to be a picture of a bird with a short tail.

Compounds

Learn more about 隹 at Wikionary

The post 隹 appeared first on Chinesegram.

dāo

Knife a picture of a knife; the 18th radical.

Compounds

刀子 dāozi – knife
剪刀 jiǎndāo – scissors

Learn more about 刀 at Wikionary

The post 刀 appeared first on Chinesegram.

zú

The foot, a picture of a foot; enough, full, pure. It is the 157th chinese radical.

⻊ (when used as a left Chinese radical)

Compounds
足球 zúqiú – football (soccer)

Learn more about 足 at Wikionary

The post 足 appeared first on Chinesegram.