Learning to read and write modem Chinese with reasonable fluency has,in recent years, become much less of a chore than it used to be. Any student interested in learning to read and write simple everyday Chinese, or in using a knowledge of everyday Chinese as the foundation for later study,can now reach that goal with less strain on his or her time, attention, and memory. Among American teachers of Chinese, a consensus has been developed as to the 1,020 characters most useful for the student to learn first. In addition, an official list of 2000 characters has been published in mainland China for the purpose of adult education. I have prepared Reading and Writing Chinese to help students master both these lists as rapidly and easily as possible.

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Reading and Writing Chinese has been the best-selling standard reference text for foreign students and teachers of Chinese for the last 25 years. Now completely revised with modern (simplified) characters, it draws on the lessons learned from the use of the book in classrooms to provide a convenient and up-to-date introduction to the Chinese writing system.Materials are organized in units of progressive difficulty and complexity, with clear definitions of the individual characters presented in a logical and systematical sequence.

For each of the basic 1,067 characters, the pronunciation and core meanings are given, along with examples of its use in common compounds and a stroke-order diagram showing how to write it correctly. Memorization tips and cross-references to look-alike characters are also provided. Charts of modern and traditional radicals, necessary to look up words in comprehensive Chinese dictionaries, are printed inside the front and back covers.

Preface to the Revised Edition

Preface

1. Stu0.ent' s Guide

  The Writing System

  Explanatory Notes

  How to Write the Characters

  The Pronunciation of Chinese

2. 1,062 Basic Characters and Elements of the Writing System

3. Remaining Characters of the "1,020 List" and the

"2,000 List"

Alphabetical Index

Stroke Count-Stroke Order Index