wanted. This system is now in general use in Fuhkeën, as the former is in Canton. They are both so plainly unfitted for finding the sounds of characters, that their only object must be to point out the written forms of words already known, and the different senses of the same character. After these two, a system of classification according to the component parts of characters gradually came into use. The most conspicuous portions of characters were adopted as heads of tribes,' which in Europe have been called keys and radicals; and all characters in which the same 'head' appeared conspicuously, were classed together as one' tribe.' No uniform system having been adopted, lexicographers have differed very much in the number of tribes; some having upwards of five hundred, others three hundred; but the best modern dictionaries, including the standard one of the emperor Kanghe, have only 214; and these are capable of being considerably diminished, as has been shown by Gonçalves of Macao, in his "Arte China," and "Diccionario China-Portuguez," in the last of which he reduces them to 127. At The radicals (so we continue to call the 'heads of trihes') rarely have any relation to the sounds of the characters of which they form component parts. Sometimes they are mere unmeaning strokes, or combinations of strokes, or, though themselves possessing meaning, yet do not at all affect the sense of the compound characters. other times, on the contrary, portions the least conspicuons to the eye have been selected as radicals, because connected in sense with the compounds. But in the great majority of cases, the radicals are conspicuous to the eye, and at the same time significant characters, serving to point out the general sense of the compounds. They are in these cases usually combined with syllabic portions, which limit the general sense pointed out by them. This is particularly observable in words belonging to natural history, though instances are numerous also in words relating to other subjects. Radicals of this last kind are readily discovered; but with regard to the others, particularly those that are not conspicuous to the eye, difficulties and irregularities frequently occur. The position of radicals varies; but their most usual place is on the left side of the compound. Some, however, occupy always the right; others have no fixed place; some occupy the top; others the bottom. A few are divided, part being placed on one side and part on the other, or part at top and part at the bottom. Some form receptacles within which the compound parts are written. Several have composite forms, each having a different locality. In the list of the 214 radicals which is given below, these composite forms are also included. The following examples will serve to illustrate the manner in which the radicals combine with the other portions of characters. The number attached to each character is that of the radical to which it belongs, in the order of the list of radicals which follows. 仝仁分刊邛阻孔孟季衍衰匝囚 9 18 18 163 170 39 39 39 144 145 22 31 |