Hanzi Alive!(13)

Chinese characters are an extension of the body - '耳' (ěr) is the receiver of sound, '目' (mù) is the window to the soul, '看' (kàn) is a far view with a hand over the eyes, '见' (jiàn) is the moment where gazes meet. These four characters teach you to perceive the world anew through Chinese characters.

耳(ěr)

Explanation:

• "耳" is shaped like an ear, representing the meaning of this character.

Example:

• The baby has small ears.  
  宝宝的耳朵很小。  
  bǎo bao de ěr duo hěn xiǎo.
• She wears beautiful earrings.  
  她戴着漂亮的耳环。  
  tā dài zhe piào liang de ěr huán.

Find and circle "耳" in the image:

目(mù)

Explanation:

• The pictograph "目" looks like an eye, although it is turned sideways to combine with other characters.

Example:

• His eyes are very bright.  
  他的目光很明亮。  
  tā de mù guāng hěn míng liàng.
• This item caught my attention.  
  这个东西很引人注目。  
  zhè ge dōng xi hěn yǐn rén zhù mù.

Find and circle "目" in the image:

看(kàn)

Explanation:

• The character "看" represents the act of raising a hand to shield the eyes from the bright sun, indicating "to see."

Example:

• Look at the blackboard, please.  
  请看黑板。  
  qǐng kàn hēi bǎn.
• I like watching movies.  
  我喜欢看电影。  
  wǒ xǐ huān kàn diàn yǐng.

Find and circle "看" in the image:

见(jiàn)

Explanation:

• The character "见" features a body with a big eye on top, representing the action of seeing. However, "见" differs from "看" in that "看" signifies present tense seeing, while "见" indicates a past act of seeing.

Example:

• Have you seen my keys?  
  你看见我的钥匙了吗？  
  nǐ kàn jiàn wǒ de yào shi le ma?
• We'll see each other tomorrow.  
  我们明天见。  
  wǒ men míng tiān jiàn.

Find and circle "见" in the image:

Now you understand: ears collect sound, eyes capture light and shadow, '看' is actively seeking, '见' is an unexpected encounter. The most magical aspect of Chinese characters - they allow the action of 'seeing' to be seen itself.