Hanzi Alive!(10)

Chinese characters dance together with bamboo and ink - '竹' (zhú) represents the natural gift of a pen handle, '笔' (bǐ) is the fusion of bamboo and hair, '书' (shū) symbolizes the flowing wisdom of pen and ink, '画' (huà) depicts the blooming scenery of lines. These four characters hide the millennium code of Chinese art.

竹(zhú)

Explanation:

• "竹" is a pictographic symbol resembling bamboo with two sets of three leaves.

Example：

• Bamboo grows very fast.  
  竹子长得很快。  
  zhú zi zhǎng de hěn kuài.
• Pandas like to eat bamboo.  
  熊猫喜欢吃竹子。  
  xióng māo xǐ huān chī zhú zi.

Find and circle "竹" in the picture:

笔(bǐ)

Explanation:

• Depicted as five fingers grasping a pointed object made of bamboo - what is that object? It's "笔" (bǐ), meaning "pen."

Example：

• He lost his pencil.  
  他的铅笔丢了。  
  tā de qiān bǐ diū le.
• She draws with a brush.  
  她用毛笔画画。  
  tā yòng máo bǐ huà huà.

Find and circle "笔" in the picture:

书(shū)

Explanation:

• The original character for "书"  was initially a verb meaning "to write with a pen." The central straight line represents a pen, with the five fingers holding it. The "日" below symbolizes what was written with the pen.

Example：

• This book is very interesting.  
  这本书很有趣。  
  zhè běn shū hěn yǒu qù.
• I read books every day.  
  我每天看书。  
  wǒ měi tiān kàn shū.

Find and circle "书" in the picture:

画(huà)

Explanation:

• Previously, we introduced "笔" as "pen." The character "画" combines the element of "聿" depicting a hand holding a pen. Addition of "里" signifies drawing something, leading to "画"  meaning "to draw" or "to paint." It serves as both a verb and a noun, as seen in "画画" where the first occurrence functions as the verb "to paint," and the second as the noun "painting."

Example：

• She likes painting flowers.  
  她喜欢画花。  
  tā xǐ huān huà huā.
• This painting is very old.  
  这幅画很古老。  
  zhè fú huà hěn gǔ lǎo.

Find and circle "画" in the picture:

Now you grasp this cultural thread: from the upright '竹' to the spirited '画,' Chinese characters intertwine nature, tools, and art into a precious pearl necklace. Next time you encounter a writing brush, you'll recognize this magical wand transcending time and space.