部首刍议

Radicals in Chinese Characters

部首主要用于给汉字分类。从古至今 ,部首经历了三个发展阶段 :由《说文解字》至《字汇》为第一阶段 ,这一时期的部首主要指出汉字的意义所属 ,凡是属于同一意义范畴的字归在同一部首 ;由《字汇》至《康熙字典》为第二阶段 ,这一时期的部首既重视表意 ,又注意到表形 ,凡是属于同一意义范畴的字 ,形体偏旁相同的排列在一起 ;由《康熙字典》至今为第三个阶段 ,这一时期的部首偏重汉字的形体 ,主要是为了人们检字方便 。

Radicals are used to classify Chinese characters. The development of radicals has experienced three stages so far: from Shuowen Jiezi (origin of Chinese characters) to Zihui, Zihui to Kangxi Dictionary, and Kangxi Dictionary to the present. The author shows the relationship between radicals and meanings of the written characters and their forms as well.