Remembering Simplified Hanzi

How not to forget the meaning and writing of Chinese characters Book 2
James W. Heisig Timothy W. Richardson

Errata in 1st printing Updated: 20 July 2012

University of Hawaii Press

honolulu

introduction

| 3

lents of trumpet, glaze, and universe, for example, are usually considered to be two-character compounds. Nevertheless, our policy has been to assign each individual character its own key word on the assumption that when the time comes for students to learn compounds, they will find it a straightforward task. Take trumpet, for instance: the character with that key word (frame 1501) is often paired in a compound with that for flared horn (2652) to designate what English simply calls a trumpet. Remember, too, that while some key words carry clear and discrete connotations, others can only approximate the range of meanings and nuances covered by a character. A broader awareness of what individual characters convey can only be acquired by encountering them in context over time. A final note of caution: We urge you to avoid dismissing certain characters as not being very useful simply because their key words are not ones you run into very often. Lambsquarters and water caltrops are not part of everyday English vocabulary, and never appear in personal or family names. Things are different in the world of the characters. It is safe to assume that if a character appears in these books, you will need it to gain proficiency in Chinese. acknowledgments The authors would like to reiterate their thanks to Robert Roche for his insight, encouragement, and generous assistance over the long years this project has been in the works. The staff and fellows of the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture in Nagoya, Japan, made our task a lot easier and provided just the right atmosphere for collaboration. Thanks, too, to Brigham Young UniversityHawaii for its support of the project. Tsu-Pin Huang, Yifen Beus, and Pao-Ho Wan assisted us with their expertise on numerous occasions. Pat Crosby, Keith Leber, and Nadine Little of University of Hawaii Press deserve mention for patiently seeing this book through its editing and production. A special word of appreciation is due Helen Richardson and the Richardson children. Without their willingness to make do without a husband and father for weeks at a time, concentrated periods of work in Japan over the past several years would not have been possible. Finally, we wish to acknowledge the many readers who have sent us their comments, reactions, and suggestions since the appearance of Book 1. Their feedback has not only made for important improvements; it has confirmed our confidence that we are on the right track. James W. Heisig Timothy W. Richardson 15 July 2011

Lesson 7
1522

exert oneself

St. Bernard dog ... rice field. [8]

1523

press from both sides

with a pair of animal horns being stuck into his ribs. And why is that? Because he has to contend with his wife ribbing him on one side and his mother-in-law on the other. Giving them each an animal horn in the middle of their brows will help you create a memorable image for press from both sides. [6]

key word suggests being squashed from the right and the The left by something or other. The character depicts a husband

1524

cheek
Press from both sides . . . head. [12]

1525

toilet
Cliff ... rule. [8]

1526

big

remember this character, you need only think of those big To stone heads found in Mesoamerica or on Easter Island. [11]

Lesson 8
1530

tears
Water ... eyeballs. [8]

1531

discharge (v.)
Water ... generation. [8]

1532

moor (v.)
Water ... dove. [8]

1533
left to soak overnight in a marinade. [8]

soak

... tell fortunes. When you hear this key word, think of Water how a thundershower soaks you to the skin, not of something

1534

insignificant

key word connotes small or trifling. Its elements: tears ... This few. [12]

1535

get rid of
Water ... overly. [7]

22 | remembering simplified hanzi: book 2

1554

cinnabar red
 ood . . . a drop . . . one. This character, commonly used for the H color red, is also an essential ingredient in Chinese alchemy. Note that the first stroke of hood curves slightly outward. [4]

1555

shining

. . . extraterrestrial. Consult frame 188 for this second Fire primitive. [9]

1556

part of the day

Sun ... orientation. [10]

1557

trickle (v.)
Water ... esteem. [11]

1558

calm (adj.)

House ... spike. [5]

1559

widowed
take care to note how the final stroke of nose is extended so it can double up as the first stroke of tool. The real challenge comes when you try to put all the pieces together. You will need to muster the imagination of a crime scene investigator to figure out who used what to make whom widowed. [14]

House ... ceiling . . . nose . . . tool ... dagger. This character is easy enough to parse into its primitive elements, as long as you

lesson 14

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1640

whale

whale swallows a whole school of fish, who turn their new The abode into a proper little fish-capital. [16]

1641

shell (n.)

Soldier ... crown ... wind. The shell of this character is different from the primitive element used for seashells. [7]

1642

spotless
Water ... aerosol can. [9]

46 | remembering simplified hanzi: book 2

1661
fiesta. [14]

caw (n.)

caw sound is considered a bad omen. Take advantage of The this when making your story. Mouth ... ceiling ... nostrils ...

1662
elements are: land ... or. [11]

domain

you think of an Internet domain, you will not be far from the If connotation of this word, which refers to an area of control. The

1663

sow (v.)
going out to the garden to sow the seeds for a row of cranberry trees. [10]

way of celebrating Thanksgiving is to do something that One others will remember at a future Thanksgiving dinnerlike

1664

kin

... above ... small. You will remember that we met this Parade final combination of two primitives in frame 653. [11]

1665

despise
tal stroke is dropped downward to fill in the space. It is only a matter of aesthetics, so you should not let it bother you too much. [14]

... net ... march. Note that because there is nothing Flowers actually marching under the enclosure for march, the horizon-

Lesson 18
The time has come to roll up your sleeves. Unlike the previous lessons, which were relatively short, many of the following lessons will be considerably longer. In this one you will learn 43 new characters.

1677

socks
Cloak ... last. [10]

1678

decline (v.)
fact, but as he grew older and began to decline, his trademark smirk also started to droop. Plastic surgery being still in its covered wagon days, he had no choice but insert a walking stick into his cheeks sideways, and thus maintain his image. [10]

back to frame 403 and the character meaning grief. The Refer story recalls the colorful actor, W. C. Fields. It is a little known

1679

innermost feelings
outer frame but ones innermost feelings. In the case of W. C. Fields, it sustained the actors awareness of the grief his fictitious alcoholism was causing those around him. [10]

on the story from the previous frame, lets say the Following short, vertical walking stick here is not for supporting ones

1680
wild dogs, obviously from the opposition party. [13]

ape

The suspicious politician Yuan first encountered in frame 404 of Book 1 is depicted here as an ape being hounded by a pack of

lesson 18

| 51

1681

dangle
Mouth ... towel. [6]

1682

currency
 e key word currency refers here to money in circulation. Its Th elements: eyedropper ... towel. [4]

1683

handkerchief

... white. Compare this character to the primitive ele Towel ment for white towel we met in Book 1 (page 166). [8]

1684

note (n.)

Towel ... tell fortunes. The key word refers to a memo you leave for someone, not musical annotation. [8]

1685

sail (n.)
Towel ... ordinary. [6]

1686

width of cloth
Towel ... wealth. [12]

52 | remembering simplified hanzi: book 2

1687

brocade
Gold ... white towel. [13]

1688

copious
Water ... market. [8]

persimmon
Tree ... market. [9]

1689

1690

thorn bushes
Thorns alongside thorns. [12]

1691

flower bud
Flowers ... thunder. [16]

1692

taste (v.)
Small . . . crown . . . rising cloud. [9]

1693

altar
Soil ... rising cloud. [7]

66 | remembering simplified hanzi: book 2

1761

railing
Tree ... orchid. [9]

1762
Fingers ... orchid. [8]

impede solely
Mouth ... turkey. [11]

1763

1764

sparrow

... turkey. Note how the final stroke of few doubles up as Few the first stroke of the turkey. [11]

1765

pile (n./v.)
Soil ... turkey. [11]

1766

sculpture
Lap/circumference ... turkey. [16]

1767

lop off
Thanksgiving ... turkey. [14]

lesson 21

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1812

nervous
State of mind ... wasteland. [12]

1813
State of mind ... net . . . compass. [12]

dumbfounded delighted
State of mind ... devil. [10]

1814

1815
State of mind ... increase. [15]

loathe thinking
State of mind ... turkey. [11]

1816

1817
State of mind ... every. [10]

be sorry about admire

Graveyard ... valentine. [14]

1818

1819
Water ... heavens ... valentine. [11]

augment daughter-in-law
Woman ... breath. [13]

1820

1821
a birthday cake: fire ... breath. [14]

put out

this character is used to put out lights and fires (but not Since the cat), its elements remind us of what we do to the candles on

100 | remembering simplified hanzi: book 2

2025

knees
Flesh ... Baron von Rumpelbrella. [15]

2026
Water ... Baron von Rumpelbrella. [14]

wall paint rust (n./v.)

Metal ... elegant. [12]

2027

2028
Eyeballs ... rice. [11]

squint (v.) batter

 atter is usually made with great care to get just the right ingreB dients in just the right proportion, but rice batter (the source of the rarely served rice pancakes) is made by throwing all the ingredients into a large pot from across the roomthe more recklessly, the better the batter. [15]

2029

2030

glue (v.)

Rice ... tell fortunes. Take care not to confuse with the primitive of the same meaning. [11]

2031

of great depth

... helmet ... rice ... St. Bernard dog. Consult frame 188 Drop in Book 1 for the combination of the first two primitives. [12]

2032

deep inlet
Water ... of great depth. [15]

2033
State of mind ... of great depth. [15]

remorseful

lesson 26

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2081

live abroad
Person ... angel. [8]

2082

incline (v.)
 ake this key word in its literal sense of to lean to one side. The T elements: person ... 100 Chinese acres. [10]

2083
Person ... lifeguard. [6] 

human relationships insult (v.)

Person ... every. [9]

2084

2085

times

... muzzle. Think of this character as referring to the Person number of occurrences of an event. [10]

2086

mimic (v.)
Person ... compass. [6]

2087

haughty

Person ... soil ... release. The combination of the two elements on the right previously appeared in stew (frame 1732). [13]

2088

Buddhist monk
Person ... increase. [14]

2089
Pent in ... person. [5]

prisoner without haste

2090

Person ... walking stick ... taskmaster ... heart. [11]

index iii: characters by number of strokes

| 283

17

2765 912 2917 1772 2852 1981 427 2832 2841 1771 2693 2915 2419 2964 2509 2015 2261 2421

2126 3008 2291 2023 2334 2665 2237 2229 1201 2592 1723 2555 2766 2556 2905 2906

2840 1510 1648 2325 1419 2221 2773 907 1440 1778

2829 1867 2272

2838 2337 1722

20

22
2744 2563

19

18
2250 2616

2536 2333 2995 347 2479 2800 2780 2774

1202 1410 2562 2510 1777 2330 2851 2882 1473 2558

23
2881 2916

24
1511

21
2599 1052

57
50,001