Chinese Characters' Creating Models

The origins of Chinese script are shrouded in mystery, and various legends exist to explain its creation. One such legend tells how Cang Jie(仓颉), a minister of the Emperor Huang Di(黄帝), observed the footprints of birds and animals. He noticed how each one was distinct and recognizable. Inspired by this, Cang Jie drew pictures of objects, simplifying them by the number of lines. These were the first pictographs, called xiang xing(象形) by the Han lexicographer Xu Shen(许慎 30 A.D.-124A.D.)

Now you can find 4 kinds of creating models:

1. Xiang Xing -- Pictographic character was created according to the material objects. I have showed you the same style in Chinese Characters' Developmentpart except some characters on this picture.

2. Zhi Shi --   It has made a sign on a Chinese character, to show you its meaning.

For example:
surface + a point = directions

3. Hui Yi – It has combined some Chinese characters together to expresses a new meaning. There are about 1170 Chinese characters were made by the way Hui Yi. For example:

Two trees can produce a lot of woods; more than three trees will form a green forest.

4. Xing Sheng -- Making a part of a Chinese character to expresses the meaning and to make the part/parts of a character to express the sound. Most of Chinese characters are Xing Sheng words.

Most of characters relate to wood, will have a part of wood.

So, if you have known the rules of Chinese Characters' creating. Then you will feel easy to learn and to master Chinese characters.