Chinese Writing Characteristics

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Chinese Writing Characteristics
Author: Rosie Wang
Over the years, Chinese were evolved and developed in the following different ways:

Pictographs

The original written format were found on the markings scratched onto tortoise shells and animal bones, the so-called "oracle bones". These ancient writings were pictures or Pictographs.

Many people tend to think that Chinese characters are all pictographs. Actually, pictographic characters are only one kind of Chinese character, there are only about 600 pictograph characters.

Pictographic Chinese characters are pictures of concrete objects, they are the basic units for forming other Chinese characters.

These are a few examples showing the pictographic characters:

? Mountain ; ? sheep ; ? moon

Ideographs

As time went on and people needed to express more complex ideas or concepts, pictographs were extended or combined to form ideographs. Ideographs are graphical representations of abstract ideas.

For example:

a sun ? and a moon ? together means 'bright' ?

a woman ? and with a child ? beside means 'good' ?

The single character ? stands for a tree, two trees together ? refers to a group of trees-grove the character made up of three trees ? means a place full of trees - a forest Phonetic-Semantic Compounds

Over 90% of current Chinese characters are semantic-phonetic compounds.

There are many objects, abstract and ideas that are difficult to express through Pictographs or Ideographs.

For example, ? is the general term for birds, but there are thousands of types of birds in the world, and it is impossible to differentiate each of them by way of pictography or ideography. But this is easily achieved in phonetic-semantic compounds by adding different phonetics to the radical ?, e.g. ? ( pigeon ), ? ( crane ), ? ( chicken ) or ? ( goose ).

A phonetic compound consists of a semantic radical and a phonetic radical, the semantic radical indicates its semantic field and the phonetic radical its pronunciation.

The meaning component of the semantic-phonetic compound Chinese character is also called the 'radical'. For example, ' ? ' is a popular Chinese radical that means 'foot'. The meanings of those characters that contain this radical are related to 'foot' in a certain way.

The phonetic component indicates at least part of the sound. Characters that contain the same phonetic component tend to have similar sounds.

For example, for the character ' ?' ( jump ), the right part ' ?' indicates the sound. They share the same vowel.

Phonetic Loans

The phonetic loan is another way of using existing characters. It is an internal borrowing on the basis of pronunciation: a character is used in a new meaning which is expressed by a similar sound in the spoken form. In this way an existing character has acquired a new meaning, but no new character is created.

For example, the character?in the Oracle-Bone Inscriptions was originally pictograph and referred to the nose, but it is now used in the sense of "self" as a result of phonetic loan. The character ? in the Oracle-Bone Inscriptions was also a pictograph, referring to the wheat, but is now used in the sense of "come" as a phonetic loan.

About the Author

Rosie From Learn Chinese Language Online (http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com )

The goal of Learn Chinese Language Online (LCLO) is to reduce the Mandarin Learning curve, promote and introduce the most efficient way to grasp the broad foundation of Chinese language.

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Bird Safety Tips for Your Home

Bird Cages
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Bird Safety Tips for Your Home
Author: The Peppy Pets Daily
Here are some of the things you should be aware of to keep your pet bird as safe as possible in the home.

Above all use common sense. You already are likely aware of most of the items on our pet bird safety list below, but we are all human, and sometimes just forget or have other things on our mind.

* Non Stick or Teflon Coating This coating is found on non stick cookware but also waffle irons, bread machines, irons, ironing board covers, curling irons, space heaters, blow dryers and more.

* Kerosene or Gas type heaters which give off fumes

* Open Toilets, or any other deep water source. Once birds get wet, it's ll over for them, they have no ability to swim.

* Pets, cats are notorious for stalking birds, even dogs cannot be trusted.

* Electrical wires, extension cords...any wire a pet bird can and inevitably will chew on.

* Poisoning....insecticides sprayed in the home, ammonia, bleach, oven cleaner, glues, nail polish remover, paint, perfumes, heavy metals, and many other home cleaning products.

* Poisonous plants and some foods are also a danger.

Go Here for a complete list of Poisonous Plants & Foods for Birds http://petcaretips.net/poisonous-plant-bird.html

* Toys...a bird can strangle themselves with ropes made to hang toys. Rubber toys are a no no, birds have also been known to chew plastic toys and swallow the pieces.

* Ceiling fans

* Windows and mirrors...birds can fly in to these and seriously injure themselves.

* Impure Air....wood and coal stoves are a big source of indoor pollution, smoke will kill your bird quickly. Aerosol products of any kind should not be used around your bird.

Cigarette smoke has been implicated in respiratory disease in pet birds.

Carbon monoxide is also dangerous to birds, so use a carbon monoxide detector in the home, and be careful not to run your vehicle in an attached garage.

* Air Pollution....smog, dust in the air, exhaust fumes from vehicles, all can be very harmful to your pet bird.

Birds have a very delicate respiratory system, it must be protected at all times.

Find out more about how a bird's lungs work here: http://petcaretips.net/pure-air-bird.html

* Tap water....birds are much smaller than humans and will react to the chemicals in tap water, fluoride and chlorine much quicker. Both of these chemicals are toxic and can harm your bird. Even well and spring water often has high concentrations of certain minerals and bacteria.

We recommend using Only steam distilled water. It is 99.9% pure water.

* Paint...in older houses the paint on the walls may contain lead.

* Bird Cages....some older bird cages have components made our of lead

* Scented Items...candles, potpourri, soaps, strong perfumes, etc.

* Loud Noises....birds can become scared and stressed when hearing loud, unfamiliar noises....stress leads to disease, being scared can cause them to flutter and fly in to things harming themselves.

* Hot Water...check the temperature of the water before giving it to your pet bird for a bath or drinking, also don't let your birds fly around the kitchen when you are cooking, steam rising from a boiling pot of water can cause the bird to be unable to fly and possibly drop on to the hot stove or in the pot of boiling water.

Quick List of common items which will harm your pet bird:

Asbestos Bleach / Chlorine Carbon Monoxide Cigarette Smoke Diazanon Flea Bombs and Collars Floor Polishes Formaldehyde Hair Dye and Spray House Paint Kerosene Matches Moth Balls Nail Polish & Remover Oil Paint Oven Cleaner Overheated Nonstick Cookware/Teflons Paint Remover Perfume Permanent Wave Solution Pesticides Shoe Polish and Cleaners Spot Removers Spray Starch Suntan Lotions Surgical Acrylics Toilet Cleaners Wax

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Petey, Petunia & Tweet Tweet Copyright ©

For more really cool info on all aspects of Pet & Wild Bird Care visit our site and take advantage of our extensive library of f r e e avian care tips & fun info.

http://petcaretips.net/bird_care.html

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Bird Cages A home for your feathered friends

Bird Cages
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Bird Cages – A home for your feathered friends.
Author: john
The practise of keeping birds goes back throughout human history. People have long wanted to keep the beautiful creatures as pets, but since they can fly, cages were needed to keep the birds contained.

Bird cages are common in many households. They are traditionally a tall brass cage, made from several pieces of wire bound together with a solid base and a door. The way that the horizontal and vertical bars create a mesh gives the bird a surface to climb with it's agile hook-like feet. The traditional cage has one perch in the centre, a simple crossbar that the bird can sit on, and the floor of the cage is lined with something like sandpaper that can be easily changed due to the fact that birds shed a lot of feathers and create mess.

There are a variety of modern bird cages, some very large in size. They usually have one or more perches and are easily portable. The larger cages can be several feet tall and wide, with platforms, ladders and ornate designs. They will sometimes come with a built in seed and water holder that can be easily refilled, but these can be bought separately.

You will probably want to furnish a cage with a variety of toys to keep your avian friend happy. There is a huge range available; ropes that come in various lengths and knots, acrylic shapes, mobiles, balls and bells. This is important for the more intelligent species of birds like parrots as they get bored easily.

Some feel that bird cages are inhumane, trapping a creature in a small confine, effectively jailing it. This is the root of metaphors that compare bird cages to prisons. An option that gives the birds far more freedom is a aviary, essentially a very large cage the size of a shed or even as large as a house. Aviaries are usually used by zoos and can contain several species of bird, plants, trees and insects, creating a kind of natural environment and plenty of room for the birds to fly.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

John Gibb is the owner of bird cages sources , For more information on bird cages check out www.bird-cage-sources3k.info

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Are you sure that you need a budgie

Bird Cages
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Are you sure that you need a budgie?
Author: Geomil Georgiev
Before buying a budgie think about the following questions :

One or two budgies?

Budgies in natural conditions live in flights and it will be boring for one budgie to live in a cage.His friend, who can replace the company of other bird, could be a person but only in case that he spends lots of time with his feathery friend, speaks to it and lets it fly. If the bird is alone most of the time it becomes sad and very often gets sick. If you are unable to spare enough time for the budgie or if the family is absent for a long time, it is better to start breeding a couple of birds. Many people think that when living in a couple budgies do not become domestic because they do not need human presence anymore.But if your patient enough and if you have enough time you may breed budgies separately while they grow up until they become domestic and start perching on your arm and only then to bring them together into one cage.

Will anybody help you?

It can happen that on some days you can be very busy and to be unable to care about the birds It is very important someone of the family to take care of them. And will it be possible for the bird to move around your home?

Home budgies do not need to look for food alone and to fly kilometers away but they also have to "exercise" their wings. These feathery ones will not be vital and healthy if they do not fly daily around the room at least for an hour. But is very difficult to keep the cage in one room with a cat–it instinctively chases birds and the is no trouble in catching the flying budgie. But an obedient dog very soon realizes that the bird is a member of the family and that it must not be disturbed.

Article Source : http://www.thebirdcagesite.com/

Geomil Georgiev is owner and editor of www.birdscomfort.com where you can find information on every type of pet birds. BirdsComfort provides detailed information in decorative, large, custom, acrylic, antique, wooden, and discount bird cages sale, as well as cage covers,bird cage playstands, bird perches, bird toys, bird swings and bird foods

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All You Wanted To Know About Birdcages

Bird Cage
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All You Wanted To Know About Birdcages
Author: Barney Garcia -
Home is where the heart is, isn't it? Ever thought about those who have no home and make us feel good daily as we enjoy their music and admire their beauty. Shouldn't they also have a beautiful place of their own? Yes, we are talking about the birds whose melodies we wake to every morning and who warm our hearts. These pretty creatures have their nests perched on trees and shrubs. However, when the humans have started keeping birds as pets, the pretty birds do not have the luxury of having their own nests. This is how the concept of birdcages came into being. Since birdcages are the only option that we humans have for them, why not make it beautiful?

Types of Birdcages

There are many kinds of birdcages available t day for the birds. Since birds can be classified into three sizes, small, medium and large, cages are also provided in the same way (i.e., small, medium, and large). It is true that no one else but you knows the best your bird requires, so you're always advised to get your birdcage designed as an acrylic bird cage which is ideal for any bird that you may own. The birdcages come in variety of designs and materials, including the manzanita, ribbon wood, grape wood and acrylic perches. Aside from that, you can buy bird toys for your bird/s to play with. You can also make sure they have a wide variety of food to eat.

Decorating Your Bird's Home

Select the birdcage that's easy to clean. For this you can place a tray into the cage, which you can remove easily when you need to wash it off. You can also make sure your birds get their well-deserved rest by purchasing a cover to place over their cage at night. You can buy lots of toys and hanging materials to enhance the looks and charm of their home. For example, you can give put a ladder in their cage that they can walk up and down on. This is just one of many ways to keep them from getting bored and enjoying their home. Your birds are special for you, so they deserve a special home.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Barney Garcia writes about various pet bird and bird cage topics. For more info visit: parrot birdcages and Birdcages Collections And Collecting

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All You Wanted To Know About Birdcages

Bird Cage
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All You Wanted To Know About Birdcages
Author: Barney Garcia -
Home is where the heart is, isn't it? Ever thought about those who have no home and make us feel good daily as we enjoy their music and admire their beauty. Shouldn't they also have a beautiful place of their own? Yes, we are talking about the birds whose melodies we wake to every morning and who warm our hearts. These pretty creatures have their nests perched on trees and shrubs. However, when the humans have started keeping birds as pets, the pretty birds do not have the luxury of having their own nests. This is how the concept of birdcages came into being. Since birdcages are the only option that we humans have for them, why not make it beautiful?

Types of Birdcages

There are many kinds of birdcages available t day for the birds. Since birds can be classified into three sizes, small, medium and large, cages are also provided in the same way (i.e., small, medium, and large). It is true that no one else but you knows the best your bird requires, so you're always advised to get your birdcage designed as an acrylic bird cage which is ideal for any bird that you may own. The birdcages come in variety of designs and materials, including the manzanita, ribbon wood, grape wood and acrylic perches. Aside from that, you can buy bird toys for your bird/s to play with. You can also make sure they have a wide variety of food to eat.

Decorating Your Bird's Home

Select the birdcage that's easy to clean. For this you can place a tray into the cage, which you can remove easily when you need to wash it off. You can also make sure your birds get their well-deserved rest by purchasing a cover to place over their cage at night. You can buy lots of toys and hanging materials to enhance the looks and charm of their home. For example, you can give put a ladder in their cage that they can walk up and down on. This is just one of many ways to keep them from getting bored and enjoying their home. Your birds are special for you, so they deserve a special home.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Barney Garcia writes about various pet bird and bird cage topics. For more info visit: parrot birdcages and Birdcages Collections And Collecting

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