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The Simplification of Chinese Characters (Hanzi jianhua 漢字簡化)

The government of the People's Republic of China took measures to enhance literacy in the new founded socialist state. These measures did not only mean that much more schools were opened, especially in the countryside, but the complicated writing system of Chinese underwent a simplification to make it easier for everybody to learn some 2000 characters needed for daily life - and of course, to study the official newspapers and the Communist writings.
In 1956 the State Council published a first list with 230 simplified characers, a second list included 299 characters, and the third step were 54 simplified radicals.

1. Simplified Radicals
(jianhua bushou 簡化部首; number=stroke number)
a) Reduction of stroke number of radicals in characters
radical traditional shape in character traditional
stroke number
simplified shape simplified
stroke number
: 廴→ 3 2
: 攵/攴→ 4 3
: 礻/示→ 5 4
: 禸→ 5 4
: 艹→ 4 3
: 衤/衣→ 6 5
: 辶→ 4 3
: 阝→ 3 2
: 阝→ 3 2

b) Simplification of shape
radical traditional shape in character traditional
stroke number
simplified shape simplified
stroke number
歺→ 4-5 4
爿→ 4 3
糹/糸→ 5 3
見→ 7 4
言→ 7 2
貝→ 7 4
車→ 7 4
 釒 /金→ 8 5-6
長→ 8 4
門→ 8 3
韋→ 9 4
頁→ 9 6
風→ 9 4
飛→ 9 3
飠/食→ 9 3
馬→ 10 3
魚→ 11 8
鹵→ 11 7
鳥→ 11 5
麥→ 11 8
黽→ 13 8
齊→ 14 6
齒→ 15 齿 8
龍→ 16 5
龜→ 16 7
Some radicals have a different shape if standing alone, in top or bottom position or on the left or right side of the character. Sometimes it is difficult for unexperienced people to find out the original shape of the radical. Therefore, all different shapes of radicals are taken as separate radicals:
radical full
shape
full
stroke number
examples short
shape
short
stroke number
examples
2 剪劒 2 到刻劍
2 仄來倉 2 仁仙侶
4 永沯滎 3 河江浮
4 忍忽愁 3 悌患懷
4 拜拳拿 3 拈括擾
4 災熨炊 4 炁烈煎
4 猋猌 4 狗狐狸
5 瑩璧璽 4-5 環球珮
5 禁齋禮 4 祈神福
6 裁衾裂 5 袒褲襪
8 鎏鎣鑒 5-6 銀銅鈺
9 餐饕養 3 饒餛飩
For unexperienced people, it is sometimes difficult to discern between two different radicals and their shapes. Some radicals are therefore unified in one:
radical same as
入 "to enter" 人 "man, person"
士 "official, scholar"  土 "earth"
肉 "meat, flesh, organ" 月 "moon"


彐<
<当 <羔差 <即


<爫

<覀西
Other characters parts are simplified in the sense that they are no longer distinguished from a graphically very similar part:


& lt;巳
& lt;危
& lt;孑
天<夭


Because the simplification of many characters is extremely, the simplified forms will have a very different radical: 農 (radical 辰), simplified to 农 (radical 冖). To make it easier to find a radical, the goverment of the PRC created many new radicals. Many radicals have lost their original meaning and are used purely graphical (亡 "to perish", 廾 "two hands", 屮 "sprout"). Additionally, characters with two possible radicals can be found under both to spare time-consuming radical search, like 忘 (亡 and 心). These new radicals are not really standardized and may differ from dictionary to dictionary:
new radical stroke number examples
2 勇予豫疏
3 亡忘盲妄赢
3 开弊
3 尤无尬尴
3
3 小尔尘当尚省
4 天夭乔吞蚕
XX 4 老考孝者
廿 4 廿共恭巷黄燕
4 不歪甭
4 中忠贵
4 尺尽昼
XX 5 奉奏春泰秦
5 去丢却
XX 5 劳荣营莹
5 戎戌成咸威戚
XX 5 党堂常掌
4 业凿
5 由胄邮
5 申畅
XX 6 券卷拳眷
5 亦变弯栾
XX 6 载裁哉栽
6
6 亚严恶晋
6 光辉耀
7 束柬敕赖整
XX 8 乾韩翰朝
9 是匙题

2. Simplified characters that also built components of other characters

(jianhua pianpang 簡化偏旁): Chinese characters consist of separable parts that are used countless times in many different characters. Often used parts are simplified to make learning easier. In the table down, these parts are arranged in alphabetical order (pinyin romanization) of the pronunciation of the simple character. Some of the characters serve as radical and are marked with a star*. A few examples are not included in the Unicode encoding and are therefore listed as traditional characters in square brackets [].
For example, the character 僉 qian is simplified as 佥. As part of characters, it is likewise abbreviated, like 剑检捡 (read jian), or 脸 (read lian). The simplified character 签 (read qian) is an abbreviation of 簽 as well as of 籤.
pronunciation
of character
*also radical
traditional shape
as character
simplified shape
as character
example(s)
as components
 / if radical
ai
ba 摆罴
bei
bi
bi
bian
bin 滨膑鬓
can
cang 苍沧
chan
chang 鲿
chang* 帐张胀 / --
che* 挥裤阵连 / 轮转
chi* 齿 啮 / 龄
chong
chu 雏邹趋驺
cong 苁纵耸
cuan
da
dai
dan 禅掸弹蝉
dang 档挡
dang
dong 冻陈
dong
duan
dui
dui
er 迩弥玺
fa 废泼
feng 沣艳
feng* 枫讽砜 / 飒
gang 刚纲钢
guang 广 犷矿旷扩
gui 岿
guo 帼掴
guo
gui* 阄 / 鼋
hua 桦骅烨晔
hua
hui [扌+ 汇]
hui 绘烩侩浍
ji 机讥饥
jia 挟郏峡侠
jian 践贱钱浅
jian 滥蓝
jian
jian* 觉现觅览 / 规觉
jiang
jie
jin 荩烬赆
jin
ju
ke
lai 莱涞俫
le 栎烁砾
li
li 沥枥疬
li 骊郦鹂
liang 俩魉满瞒
ling
liu
long* 陇胧厐聋 / 龚龛
lou 楼镂蝼屡
lu 芦炉庐
lu
lu
摅滤
lun 论轮抡沦
luo 锣逻箩
ma* 冯闯笃 / 驯骚
mai
mai 读续窦牍
mai* 唛 / 麸
men* 扪润简 / 问阁
min* 绳渑
nan 滩摊
nie 摄滠
ning 柠泞
nong 浓脓
qi 凯恺
qi(*) 忾饩
qi* 济剂 / 齑
qian 剑检捡签
qian
qiao 桥骄侨
qin
qiong [艹/穷]
qu 欧躯枢
se 墙穑
sha
shen 婶谉
sheng
shi 鲥埘
shi 狮筛
shou 寿 涛焘祷筹
shu
shuang [扌+双]
su 萧箫啸
sui
sun 逊荪
tiao 绦鲦
wan 历沥迈
wei
wei* 围绕违 / 韩
wu
wu 抚芜
xian
xiang
xie
xun 浔鲟挦
ya 恶壶娅
yan
yan 恹魇
yao 烧绕挠晓
ye
ye* 撷烦倾巅 / 顺颂
yi 仪议蚁
yi
yin
yin
you
yu 屿欤
yu* 渔橹癣 / 鲇鲨
yun 昙芸叆
zheng 掷踯
zhi 贽挚
zhi
zhuan 转砖传

3. Simplified parts of characters whose single form is not abbreviated or not existing

A handful of character parts can not stand alone for themselves, or are not abbreviated if they stand alone for themselves, but only as parts of characters (also compare radicals like 食 shi "eating" that is not abbreviated standing alone, but abbreviated as radical (饱馒饿 simplified from 飽饅餓):
pronunciation unabbreviated character examples exception or remarks
?? 臤 (obsolete) 竖坚贤紧
??
戠 (obsolete) 识织职
?? 咼 (obsolete) 窝娲祸锅
?? 辠 (obsolete) 译泽择释
??
冓 (obsolete) 沟购构 觏篝; other simplification: 讲
chan 谗搀馋 
ken 貇 (obsolete) 垦恳
huai 褱 (obsolete) 怀坏 寰圜
huan 雚 (obsolete) 欢观
huan 睘 (obsolete) 环还
jiang
奖桨浆酱 將 as single character is simplified as 将 (see above)
jin 堇 (obsolete) 艰难 汉 should also be listed here
jin 嵚揿 regularly abbreviated
jing 巠 (rare) 经轻颈径
lan 拦栏烂 闌 as single character is simplified as 阑, while 兰 is simplification of 蘭
lin 臨? 览揽鉴
mi 糸 (rare)
荭哟鸶橼 regularly abbreviated
yan 罚狱蔼浒 regularly abbreviated
yang 昜 (obsolete) 汤杨场
zhan 胆担 瞻谵蟾
lao, rong, ying -- 劳荣营莹
xue, jue -- 学觉搅
bian, wan, luan -- 变弯湾栾
ju -- 剧据
la, lie -- 腊猎

4. Simplified Whole Characters

(jianhua zi 簡化字): Except radicals and regular parts of characters, there are 352 characters with special abbreviations. The following table gives an overview over these characters with special abbreviations and simplification. Bold characters signify that the abbreviated characters is a character already existing, but with different meaning.
A
ai 礙碍 ang 骯肮 ao 襖袄
B
ba 壩坝 ban 闆板 ban 辦办 bang 幫帮 bao 寶宝 bao 報报 bi 幣币
bi 斃毙 biao 標标 biao 錶表 bie 彆别 bu 蔔卜 bu 補补
C
cai 纔才 can 蠶蚕 can 燦灿 ceng 層层
chan 纏缠 chan 懺忏 chang 償偿 chang 廠厂 che 徹彻 chen 塵尘 chen 襯衬
cheng 稱称 cheng 懲惩 chi 遲迟 chong 衝冲 chou 醜丑 chu 齣出 chu 礎础
chu 處处 chu 觸触 ci 辭辞 cong 聰聪 cong 叢丛
D
E
dao 導导 deng 燈灯 deng 鄧邓 er 兒ㄦ
di 敵敌 di 遞递 di 籴糴 dian 點点 dian 澱淀
dian 電电 die 疊迭 dong 鼕冬 dou 鬥斗 du 獨独
dun 噸吨 duo 奪夺
F
fan 礬矾 fan 範范 fen 墳坟 fen 奮奋 fen 粪糞 feng 鳳凤
fu 膚肤 fu 婦妇 fu 復复 fu 覆复 fu 複复
G
gai 蓋盖 gan 乾干 gan 幹干 gan 趕赶 ge 個个
gong 鞏巩 gu 穀谷
gu 顧顾 gua 颳刮 guan 關关 gui 櫃柜
H
han 漢汉 hao 號号 he 閤合 hong 轟轰 hou 後后
hu 鬍胡 hu 壺壶 hu 滬沪 hu 護护 hua 劃划
huai 壞坏 huai 懷怀 環环 huan 還还
hui 迴回 huo 夥伙 hu 獲获 hu 穫获
J
ji 擊击 ji 雞鸡 ji 積积 ji 極极 ji 際际 ji 繼继 jia 傢家
jia 價价 jian 艱艰 jian 繭茧 jian 揀拣 jian 歼殲 jian 鹼硷 jian 艦舰
jiang 薑姜 jiang 漿浆 jiang 槳桨 jiang 獎奖 jiang 醬酱 jiang 講讲 jiao 膠胶
jie 階阶 jie 潔洁 jie 癤疖 jie 藉借 jin 僅仅 jing 驚惊 jing 競竞
jiu 舊旧 ju 劇剧 ju 據据 ju 懼惧 juan 捲卷
K
kai 開开 ke 剋克 ken 墾垦 ken 懇恳
kua 誇夸 kuai 塊块 kui 虧亏 kun 睏困
L
la 臘腊 la 蠟蜡 lan 蘭兰 lan 攔拦 lan 欄栏 lan 爛烂 lei 纍累 lei 壘垒
lei 類类 li 裡里 li 禮礼 li 隸隶 lian 簾帘 lian 聯联 lian 煉炼 lian 練练
lian 憐怜 liang 糧粮 liao 瞭了 liao 療疗 liao 遼辽 lie 獵猎 lin 臨临 lin 鄰邻
ling 嶺岭 lu 廬庐 lu 蘆芦 lu 爐炉 lu 陸陆 驢驴 luan 亂乱
M
me 麼么 mei 黴霉 meng 矇蒙 meng 濛蒙 meng 懞蒙 meng 夢梦
mian 麵面 miao 廟庙 mie 滅灭 mie 衊蔑 mu 畝亩
N
nao 惱恼 nao 腦脑 ni 擬拟 niang 釀酿 nüe 瘧疟
P
pan 盤盘 pi 闢辟 ping 蘋苹 ping 凴凭 pu 撲扑 pu 僕仆 pu 樸朴
Q
qi 啟启 qian 籤签 qian 韆千 qian 牽牵 qian 縴纤 qian 纖纤 qiao 竅窍 qie 竊窃
qin 寢寝 qing 慶庆 qiong 瓊琼 qiu 鞦秋 qu 麯曲 quan 權权 quan 勸劝 que 確确
R
rang 讓让 rao 擾扰 re 熱热 ren 認认
S
sa 灑洒 san 傘伞 sang 喪丧 sao 掃扫 se 澀涩 shai 曬晒 shang 傷伤
she 捨舍 shen 瀋沈 sheng 聲声 sheng 勝胜 shi 濕湿 shi 實实 shi 適适
shi 勢势 shou 獸兽 shu 書书 shu 術术 shu 樹树 shuai 帥帅 song 鬆松
su 蘇苏 su 囌苏 sui 雖虽
T
tai 臺台 tai 檯台 tai 颱台 tai 態态 tan 壇坛 tan 罈坛 tan 嘆叹
teng 謄誊 ti 體体 ti 糴籴 tie 鐵铁 ting 聽听 ting 廳厅 tou 頭头
tu 圖图 tu 塗涂 tuan 團团 tuan 糰团 tui 橢椭
W
wa 漥洼 wa 襪袜 wang 網网 wei 衛卫 wen 穩稳 wu 務务 wu 霧雾
X
xi 犧牺 xi 習习 xi 係系 xi 繫系 xi 戏戲 xia 虾蝦 xia 吓嚇 xian 鹹咸
xian 顯显 xian 憲宪 xian 縣县 xiang 響响 xiang 嚮向 xiang 像象 xie 協协 xie 脅胁
xie 褻亵 xin 釁衅 xing 興兴 xu 鬚须 xuan 懸悬 xuan 選选 xuan 鏇旋
Y
ya 壓压 yan 鹽盐 yang 陽阳 yang 養养 yang 癢痒 yang 樣样 yao 鑰钥
yao 药藥 ye 爺爷 ye 葉叶 yi 醫医 yi 億亿 yi 憶忆 ying 應应
yong 癰痈 yong 擁拥 yong 傭俑 yong 踴踊 you 憂忧 you 優优 you 郵邮
yu 餘余 yu 禦御 yu 籲吁 yu 鬱郁 yu 譽誉 yuan 淵渊 yuan 園园
yuan 遠远 yuan 愿愿 yue 躍跃 yun 運运 yun 醞酝
Z
za 雜杂 zang 贓赃 zang 臟脏 zang 髒脏 zao 鑿凿 zao 棗枣 zao 竈灶 zhan 氈毡
zhan 戰战 zhao 趙赵 zhe 摺折 zhe 這这 zheng 證证 zheng 徵征 zheng 癥症 zhi 隻只
zhi 祇只 zhi 緻致 zhi 製制 zhong 鐘钟 zhong 鍾钟 zhong 腫肿 zhong 種种 zhong 眾众
zhou 晝昼 zhu 硃朱 zhu 燭烛 zhu 築筑 zhuang 莊庄 zhuang 樁桩 zhuang 妝妆 zhuang 裝装
zhuang 壯壮 zhuang 狀状 zhun 準准 zhu 濁浊 zong 總总 zuan 鑽钻

Simplified Characters in Japan

From the 4th century on, Japan adopted the Chinese writing system. Chinese characters are the origin of the Japanese Hiragana and Katakana syllable alphabets. But the Chinese characters (jap. Kanji) made their own way in the Japanese archipelago. Many simplified characters in Japan are not identical to the Chinese simplifications.
  © 2000 ff · Ulrich Theobald · Mail