Etymological Dictionary of Han/Chinese Characters

By Lawrence J. Howell

Research CollaboratorHikaru Morimoto

Supplement Two: Sample Lineage ChartsThe charts present approximately 25% of the entries in the Etymological Dictionary of Han Chinese Characters. The selection of characters helps illustrate the key attributes of character formation and morphology in Old Chinese, including

・Abbreviated (reduced) forms・Variant forms・Creation of replacement characters to convey meanings lost by the original character・Appending of elements for emphasis/clarification・Acquisition of associated and extended meanings・Creation of new meanings via reinterpretation of the constituent elements of a character・Conceptual links between productive characters and their derivatives (2nd, 3rd, 4th generation)・Transitions from concrete to abstract significations・A single element exerting multiple distinct influences in derivatives・Extensive groups of cognate terms conveying identical or closely related meanings

The order of the charts correlates with the order of the entries presented in Supplement One of the Etymological Dictionary of Han/Chinese Characters, the Mandarin (Standard Chinese) Redaction.

© 2016 Lawrence J. Howell