Chinese Triple Radicals If one radical means X, three radicals should mean 3X, so studying triple radicals, even

if some are archaic, tells you a lot about the culture that created them. Especially when three women mean adultery and three sons mean weakness. Compiled by Jennifer Ball September 4, 2010

Sinograph

Meaning

Pronunciation (Mandarin) san1 chuan1 kun1 zhong4 sen1 ben1 jian1 zhuan3 biao1 biao1 or yan4 biao1

Singular Meaning one seemingly the first stroke of woman man tree bull woman son horse fire sign dog

three river multitude, crowd; masses, public forest, dense, dark run fast, rush about, flee adultery (wicked) weakness running herd flames whirlwind

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3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010

flood, infinity embankment crystal intuition, bright a group of springs beautiful eyes, head depth strong, anger, preference strong whisper talkative

miao3 yao2 jing1 jiong3 xun2 mao4 bi4 bi4 nie4 nie4 hua4

water sign earth sun twinkle of eyes when cognition causes one to open them in Eureka moment? water plus intuition eye cowrie shell the simplified form of cowerie shell ear mouth (and mountain?) tongues, clappers of bells; not used orifice cocoon or perhaps vagina; cultivated field stone, pebble family name

conduct; grade; thing; product; good private, secret, fortress fields divided by dikes lumpy, rock pile, uneven, bighearted three swords
2

pin3 lei1 lei2 lei3 li2

=(ancient form of ) deception; sleight of hand; magic huan4

3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010

general term for plants rich, thriving, intensifier Insect upright, lofty hair rank odour of sheep or goats fine hair or fur on animals pickpocket fresh, new delicious, rare, few coarse, rough, rude to be puzzled, worried, to be good obedient, united explosion, bang, boom the appearance of the dragon walking Falcon

hui3 and 4 xin1 xin1 chong2 chu4 shan1 shan1 cui4 shou3 ba4 or xian1 cu1 rui3 suo3 li4 or ruo4 hong1 ta4 za2

sprout gold ore rice plant as sun sets? insect

= to turn over, upside

down

strand sheep tail hand goldfish deer heart right hand car/cart/wheel six over moon (or flesh) next to dragon bird

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3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010

(ancient form of ) a country; a nation; a kingdom; a state

Sources:

guo2

feudal state of Qin; the Qin dynasty

http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q72827090.htm (translated via Google webpage translation) www.sayjack.com http://jabezetutor.angelfire.com/CHINESE.htm#Triple_characters_ http://www.chinese-tools.com http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki http://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en http://www.mandarintools.com/

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3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010

Triples with other characters

to raise ones foot brave; good horse; strong afraid, scared, fearful pleat (in skirt) gigantic strength weak, unfit, frail, feeble bore (because he has a lot of tails/tales?) Anger strong, anger, preference (same as ) a military wall, a rampart, to pile up, a pile a military wall, a rampart, to pile up, a pile graceful, charming, fascinating even, regular, uniform all alike; to arrange be united; cooperate

qiao1 qiao4 (hiu1) xiao1 (hiu1) she4 zhe2 (sip3 zip3) zhe2, zhe3 xi4 (ai3 hei3) chan2 or can4 cui4 bi4 bi4 dan4, tan4 lei3 rao3 rao2 yao3 qi2 zha1 izi1 xie2
5

foot + 3 earths + feet horse + 3 earths + feet heart + 3 ears clothes + 3 ears corpse + 3 shells corpse + 3 sons ? + 3 tails 3 eyes rotated 90cw + big 3 cowrie shells earth + 3 fields earth + fields woman + three embankments + feet cocoons (fortress) with number 2 stake + force, strength

3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010

Sources:http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q72827090.htm (translated via Google webpage translation) www.sayjack.com http://jabezetutor.angelfire.com/CHINESE.htm#Triple_characters_ http://www.chinese-tools.com http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki http://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=en http://www.mandarintools.com/ Harbaugh, Rick. Chinese Characters: A Genealogy and Dictionary. Taipei, Taiwan: Zhongwen.com, 1998.

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3 February 2011 10:56 AM Jennifer Ball, Sept. 2010