As one of Professor Lu Jianji’s two reference books on Chinese characters for foreign learners, this book is on reading Chinese characters (and the other is on writing Chinese characters). Altogether more than 3,600 characters are included in this book, covering all the characters in various CFL syllabuses and standards. In terms of the structure, this book puts the characters into two categories (simple-component characters and compound characters) and ten lists (list of pictographic simple-component characters, list of self-explanatory simple-component characters, list of associative simple-component characters, list of other simple-component characters, list 1 of pictophonetic compound characters, list 2 of pictophonetic compound characters, list of pictographic compound characters, list of self-explanatory compound characters, list of associative compound characters, and list of other compound characters). Each character is provided with a set of information, including pinyin, the complex form, the ancient form, whether it can serve as a radical, the semantic and phonetic components, origin, and meaning. This is a systematic, standard, practical and convenient book through which foreigners can learn the etymology and original meaning of more than 3,600 Chinese characters. By understanding Chinese characters they can recognize and master them, building confidence for learning characters and getting prepared for learning words. This is also a reference book for CFL teachers to teach Chinese characters.

About the Author

Lu Jianji, professor in Beijing Language and Culture University, has been engaged in teaching Chinese as a foreign language since 1960. Professor Lu served as the president and editor in chief of Beijing Language and Culture University Press during 1984-1995. Lu is now a special-term professor of Chinese as a foreign language in many universities, including the Renmin University of China, a CFL textbook consultant for The Commercial Press, and an expert reviewer of CFL academic journals. His research focuses on applied linguistics, especially language teaching theories such as interlanguage, Chinese-English comparison and CFL teaching history. His works include textbooks and dictionaries such as Modern Chinese Beginner’s Course, The Commercial Press Chinese Learning Dictionary, etc.