Quantitative analysis of Chinese characters system based on a tree model

Jiajia Hu; Ning Wang

doi:10.1515/glot-2014-0005

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Quantitative analysis of Chinese characters system based on a tree model

Published/Copyright: May 29, 2014

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From the journal Glottotheory Volume 5 Issue 1

Abstract

As an ideographic system, Chinese writing is not based on the irreducible elements used in speaking (e.g., syllabic or alphabetic elements) as in phonetic systems. Consequently, there is a misperception that in Chinese writing, each character is treated as a separate symbol, which makes it seem very difficult to learn Chinese writing. In the modern study of Chinese ideography, the elements of Chinese writing are called components, which can play a quadruple role in composing characters. Based on this understanding of components, this paper uses the mathematical tree model to analyse the structure of Chinese characters and create a computational description of all of the character structures explained in Shuowen Jiezi, a character dictionary of Chinese seal script. Using this methodology, this paper also performs a statistical analysis of synchronic Chinese characters and provides quantitative data to illustrate the systematic nature of Chinese writing. There is much room for further research using this methodology.

Keywords: Chinese character structure system; tree model; character component; structure mode; character layer; direct constructing ability

Published Online: 2014-5-29

Published in Print: 2014-6-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/glot-2014-0005

Keywords for this article

Chinese character structure system; tree model; character component; structure mode; character layer; direct constructing ability