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I Painted 100 Chinese Characters In Watercolor So That They Are Easier To Learn
My name is Linda Yi and I'm a writer/illustrator from Georgia, currently based in Brooklyn, NY. I create educational drawings around my own journey of relearning the Chinese language and reconnecting with my cultural heritage.
Writing and illustrating is (what I hope will be!) my second career. I painted these 100 characters during a pivotal year in my life—one during which I took an intentional look at the Chinese characters that had, up to that point, been a source of frustration and built-up dread (if you've been to a weekend Chinese school... you may know the feeling.)
As I researched the meanings behind each of these character paintings, I learned about the secrets and stories shimmering underneath the squiggly characters I’d hated practicing as a kid. These characters—this language I'd held at arm's length—was vibrant and beautiful!
Whenever I look at these character paintings (which I do every day as I settle down to work), I'm reminded of the beauty behind the Chinese language. If it does the same for you, this print is exclusively available through Kickstarter (linked below)!
If successfully funded, this poster will become a reality (and the inaugural print of my home print shop). I have until Dec. 10 to raise the necessary funds, so please chip in below if you appreciate my art!
More info: kickstarter.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
星 (Xīng) Star; (Literally 日/Sun + 生/Birth. 星 = Birth Of A Sun)
Final score:
23points
RELATED:
#2
成 (Chéng) To Make, Succeed, Complete
Final score:
18points
Maria Roberts 5 years ago
Can you please not comment on every single one?
Load More Replies... #3
冬 (Dōng) Winter
Final score:
16points
#4
月 (Yuè) Moon; Month
Final score:
15points
Neva Nevičica 5 years ago
In Croatian we also have the same word for month and moon :). I love this one :)
#5
春 (Chūn) Spring
Final score:
15points
#6
夏 (Xià) Summer
Final score:
15points
#7
秋 (Qiū) Autumn
Final score:
15points
#8
妹 (Mèi) Younger Sister
Final score:
15points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
It’s actually usually two (mei mei) to refer to little sister in a sentence, but mei does alone mean it as well
Load More Replies... #9
好 (Hǎo) Good (Woman女 + Child子)
Final score:
14points
#10
時(时)(Shí) Time
Final score:
12points
Madeleine Flowers 3 years ago
I don't know pretty much anything about Chinese characters, so I was wondering why you had put another character in parenthesis in the title. Is it just another way of writing it?
Linda Yi (Submission author) 3 years ago (edited)
Hi Madeleine! The the character in parenthesis are Simplified Chinese characters (for these paintings, I've painted them in Traditional Chinese). Simplified Chinese is mostly used in Mainland China and Singapore, and Traditional Chinese is used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Hope this is helpful! (sorry for the late reply! I don't get boredPanda notifications frequently. You can always DM me on instagram if you have a specific language question! I'm @pandacubstories
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#11
晚 (Wǎn) Evening; Late
Final score:
12points
#12
女 (Nǚ) Woman; Female
Final score:
12points
#13
美 (Měi) Beautiful
Final score:
12points
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
你是不是也是个能说中文人吗？ 我只是十二岁，已经学了七年中文了！我是从美国来的。 我妈妈是中文。。。 我也很爱猫🐱！
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#14
人 (Rén) Person
Final score:
12points
#15
英 (Yīng) Hero, Heroic
Final score:
12points
Linda Yi (Submission author) 5 years ago
yup! I think 英 is sometimes used shorthand to refer to Britain (like 美 is used to refer to the US)
Load More Replies... #16
日 (Rì) Sun; Day
Final score:
11points
#17
明 (Míng) Bright; (The 日/Sun And 月/Moon Together Is Bright)
Final score:
9points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Ming also means next 明天 (ming tian, tian is day, means tomorrow)
Linda Yi (Submission author) 5 years ago
It does! I like to think it's because after a sunrise and moonset... it's tomorrow :)
Load More Replies... #18
玩 (Wán) Play
Final score:
9points
#20
妈 (Mā) Mother
Final score:
9points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
马(mǎ）is horse, while 妈（mā）is mother, adding the 女radical, which means woman. Be careful when you’re pronouncing them!
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Nope, it’s the right one. 马is horse, 妈is mom
Load More Replies... #21
弟 (Dì) Younger Brother
Final score:
9points
#22
文 (Wén) Text, Culture, Language
Final score:
9points
#24
午 (Wǔ) Noon
Final score:
8points
BoredPanda is awesome 5 years ago
Love how you used the colours. If you look very close at the big symbol, you can see tiny symbols
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
Each of the tiny symbols is a number in chinese. yi = 一1。 er = 二2。 San = 三3。 si = 四4。wu = 五5。 liu = 六6。 qi = 七7。 ba = 八8。 jiu = 九9。 shi = 十10
Load More Replies... #25
很 (Hěn) Very
Final score:
8points
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
hen is written with a downward accent. and da is written with a loud and/or blasting accent. 很大
Load More Replies... #26
狗 (Gǒu) Dog
Final score:
8points
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
The symbol on the right is a animal zi-pang. zi-pang (字旁） is just a important part of a word.
Load More Replies... #27
孩 (Hái) Child
Final score:
8points
#28
間(间)(Jiān) Space In Between (Literally A Sun/日 Outside An Open 門/Door)
Final score:
7points
#31
也 (Yě) And Also
Final score:
7points
#32
兩(两) (Liǎng) Double, Two (Of Something)
Final score:
6points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
二 (er)is two, but only as the number. 两is the adjective (two cats, for instance)
#33
大 (Dà) Big
Final score:
6points
#35
家 (Jiā) Home, Family
Final score:
6points
#37
哥 (Gē) Older Brother
Final score:
6points
#39
果 (Guǒ) Fruit
Final score:
5points
#41
地 (Dì) Earth; Ground
Final score:
5points
#42
太(Tài) Greatest; Highest, Too
Final score:
5points
#45
什 (Shén) What (Part 1)
Final score:
4points
#46
早 (Zǎo) Morning; Early
Final score:
4points
#47
中 (Zhōng) Middle, Center
Final score:
4points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
中国 (zhong guo) is China, meaning the “Middle Country”, because on a map made in China, China is found in the center of the map, as opposed to the regular Anglocentric maps.
#48
天 (Tiān) Sky; Heavens
Final score:
4points
#50
今 (Jīn) This, Now
Final score:
4points
#51
花 (Huā) Flower
Final score:
4points
#52
木 (Mù) Wood
Final score:
4points
Rainbow Panda 5 years ago
See those characters carved in the wood? Those are elements. 💧 🔥 🌱 🌍
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
there is another one. Its kinda blurry and I cant see if it means "All" - quan - 全。 or. "Gold" - jin - 金。 "Linda Yi" If you read this message can you please clarify?
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#55
口 (Kǒu) Mouth
Final score:
4points
#60
昨 (Zuó) Yesterday
Final score:
3points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
昨天(zuo tian) is actually yesterday, 昨 is “previously” by itself, but only in contexts pertaining to time.
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
Hey just a quick tip to those who dont know. in chinese, most sentences are backwards. qian-前 means front but 前天 (front-day) actually means the day before yesterday
#65
我 (Wǒ) I; Me
Final score:
2points
#66
六 (Liù) Six
Final score:
1point
#75
的 (De) Possessive Article
Final score:
1point
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
我的(wo de) means mine, 他/她的(ta/ta de) for the male/female is his or hers.
#78
了 (Le) Helper Particle; Often Used To Indicate An Action As Passed
Final score:
1point
#79
出 (Chū) To Go Out
Final score:
1point
#80
有 (Yǒu) Have
Final score:
1point
CATMONSTER2018 5 years ago
This has nothing to do with the picture but for people reading this. writing Chinese Characters is harder than you might think. especially if ins in bubble writing!!! I believe that "Linda Yi" has done a wonderful job at both the writing, and the art. Btw.in my opinion, the word xin - which means heart. 心 is one of the hardest words to write.
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
It is! Seems so basic, but it always ends up looking wrong.
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#94
們(们)(Men) Plural Particle (For Pronouns)
Final score:
0points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Found in 我们(wo men), which means we, 他们(ta men), which means they, etc
#97
和 (Hé) Harmonious; Gentle; And
Final score:
0points
#98
二 (Èr) Two
Final score:
0points
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Like I said earlier, two is the only number that is changed to become an adjective. Five, for instance, is both the number and the adjective, but 二 is the number alone, while 两 is the adjective.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Really cool post, I love it. Interesting thing about Chinese is the idea of tones of words, like I hinted at earlier with 妈(mā, mom) and 马(mǎ, horse). So the same sound with a different accent can mean completely different things.
conejocongato 5 years ago
this concept seems just incredible! i have seen negative comments but to know exactly whether it works or not, it can be tried with small children who start learning and the results will eventually show if it works... but as just an exterior viewer and artist, i love your works:)
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 5 years ago
This actually makes them much harder... It distracts from the strokes, it adds overwhelming details, and it ignores the origins of the character. :(
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Really cool post, I love it. Interesting thing about Chinese is the idea of tones of words, like I hinted at earlier with 妈(mā, mom) and 马(mǎ, horse). So the same sound with a different accent can mean completely different things.
conejocongato 5 years ago
this concept seems just incredible! i have seen negative comments but to know exactly whether it works or not, it can be tried with small children who start learning and the results will eventually show if it works... but as just an exterior viewer and artist, i love your works:)
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 5 years ago
This actually makes them much harder... It distracts from the strokes, it adds overwhelming details, and it ignores the origins of the character. :(
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