CTCFL

FDTL 46/99

Chinese language skills for Britain: Disseminating Best Practice

Reading Tips - Reading Week 5

Character recognition

Radical index

Radical

Name of radical

Position in character

Examples

10	讠	speech /言字旁	Left	论,说,讲,谈,语
40	氵	water /三点水	Left	河,汤,洗,海,
197	釆 căi	to separate / 采字	Top, left	釆,悉,释,番
136	耳ér	ear /耳字	Left	耳,取,职,联,
62	彳	to walk slowly / 双人旁	Left	街,行,往,得
47	辶	to go /走之底	Base	这,还,进迈,边,
80	灬	fire /四点底	Base	点, 热,熊,煎,煮
183	羽 yú	Feather, wing / 羽字	Top, base, right	羽,翼,翻,翁,翠,翅
41	忄	Heart /竖心旁	Left	快,慢,忙,怪,忆
8	冫	Ice / 两点水	Left	冰,冷,冻,次,准,(冬)
20	午	一撇一横	Top	午,年,每,复,舞
45	宀	Roof /宝盖头	Top	家,实,完,它, 宝
52	大	Great / 大字	Top, middle	大,夫,头,奇,太,

Which verbs are frequently used in direct and indirect speech? (5)

As you can see from the above article, apart from 说, there are also: 表示 to express, 强调 to emphasize and 指出 to point out. These verbs are often followed by a comma for indirect speech and a colon for direct speech.

zài 在 clause (5)

The 在 clause is important. It can help you to find the main verbs, subjects and objects of sentences. The 在 clause often appears before adverbs, verbs and the attributive clause, (the 的 clause). The 在clause is often seen in the following forms: 在... 上, 里 or 下 (a clause for an event, place and situation) and 在...时 (a time clause). Let’s take out all the 在 clauses in the following sentences.

... 在这里

再次强调…

The main verb is 强调.

... 在今天的记者招待会上回答记者提问时

说...

The main verb is 说.

... 在台湾问题上的表现

仅仅是一个方面…

表现 is the subject of the sentence.

... 在人权问题上

发表了奇谈怪论...

The main verb is 发表.

... 美国政府

应该制止右翼团体在台湾问题上的活动。

活动 is the object of the sentence.