One

Formation: A single horizontal stroke, representing the number one.

Formation: Originally resembled a cross, depicting the meaning "to cut", since 七 sounds like 切 (qiē; to cut).

Formation: Three horizontal strokes, representing the number three.

Formation: Originally a small line or dot above a longer line, indicating "up". The vertical line was added to distinguish the character from 二 (two).

Formation: Originally a small line or dot below a longer line, indicating "down". The vertical line was added to distinguish the character from 二 (two).

Formation: Pictograph of sepals of a flower. The meaning "no" is a phonetic loan.

Formation: Pictograph of a basket or a bag. The current meaning "east" is a phonetic loan. The simplified character 东 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 東.

Formation: Depicts 10 (十) hand-lengths (又): 丈 is a traditional Chinese unit of length equivalent to about 3 meters.

• 十Semantic componentten
• 又Semantic component(hand); again

Formation: Simplified form of 兩. Combination of two 丙 characters. The significance of 丙 is unclear.

Formation: Origin unclear. Simplified form of 萬.

Formation: Originally a pictograph of a sacrificial altar. The current meaning "moreover" is a phonetic loan.

Formation: Three copies of 十 (ten) to make 30, similar to the archaic character 卅 (30). Conveys the meaning "30-year generation", also symbolizing a branching family tree.

Formation: Simplified form of 業. Origin unclear.

Formation: Simplified form of 與. Phonosemantic compound. 舁 represents the meaning and 牙 represents the sound. The traditional component 舁 was removed for simplification.

• 舁Removed in simplifiedlift; raise
• 牙Phonetic componenttooth

Formation: Depicts a hand (寸) spinning a wheel (叀). Based on the original meaning "turn", now written as 轉. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The simplified character 专 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 專.

• 叀Semantic componentspindle; spinning wheel
• 寸Semantic componentinch; thumb; (hand)

Formation: A horizontal line added to the sematically similar character 去 (leave; go).

• 一Semantic componentone
• 去Semantic componentgo; leave

Formation: Simplified form of 丟. A horizontal line added to the sematically similar character 去 (leave; go).

• 一Semantic componentone
• 去Semantic componentgo; leave

Formation: Simplified form of 麗. Pictograph of a deer (鹿) with two beautiful antlers. The traditional component 鹿 was removed for simplification.

• ◎Pictographic componentcharacterless component
• 鹿Removed in simplifieddeer

Formation: Simplified form of 嚴. Phonosemantic compound. 喦 represents the meaning and 敢 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "boast". The meaning later shifted to "extremely" and "severe". The traditional component 敢 was removed for simplification.

• 喦Semantic componenttalkative
• 敢Removed in simplifieddare; bold; have confidence

Formation: Depits two people standing (立) side-by-side.

• 立Pictographic componentstand; establish
• 立Pictographic componentstand; establish

Formation: Pictograph of an animal's paw. In simplified Chinese 丑 is also used to mean "ugly", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 醜.

Formation: Simplified form of 絲. Duplication of 糸 (silk).

• 纟Semantic componentsilk; thread
• 纟Semantic componentsilk; thread

Formation: Pictograph of a nail, which is now written as 釘.

Formation: Origin unclear. Possibly depicts a beggar holding his hand out.

Formation: Origin unclear. Variously explained as a table or pedestal, or a fish tail.

Formation: Phonosemantic compound. 一 represents the meaning and 从 represents the sound. Simplified form of 叢.

• 一Semantic componentone
• 从Phonetic componentfrom; follow

Pictographic formation: Two hills

Pictographic formation: Simplified form of 喪; to cry 哭 over the dead 亡