Method Overview

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Basic Principle

(Learning Step 1)

 The Main signs

(Learning Step 2)

Order of signs

(Learning Step 3)

 Secondary signs

(Learning Step 4)

111 shapes are defined as necessary to reproduce all the patterns forming characters. They are divided in 24 groups represented by one Chinese characters (lead sign, or main sign) and linked to one of  24 letters of usual keyboard, in a meaningful way easy to remember..

To retrieve characters: type 1 to 5 of the 24 letters matching the shapes of the desired  character, in respect of the other rules of the method.

24 signs

They are important, basic characters, like Sun 曰, Moon月, the Five elements:  Metal 金, Wood木 , Water 水, Fire火, Earth土, etc., they are therefore very easy to remember.

Their corresponding code-letter on the keyboard is also easy to remember: the above 7 signs correspond to the code-letters AB, C D E F G.

Within each "part" of a character (called "unit" in CJ), signs are accounted in a sequence  similar  to the  stroke order for writing  characters:

--from top to bottom

--from left to right

--from the outside to the   inside

87 signs

They are regrouped (by variable number s of one to 7) to each of the Main Signs which represent its own shape plus that of the secondary signs in its group.

Secondary sign shapes are not difficult to remember either because their shapes derive from that of the lead sign they are assigned to.

Delimitation of signs  (Learning Step 5)

Signs Selections rules       (Learning Step 6)

Complex characters (Learning Step 7)

 Exceptions

(Learning Step 8)

There are 3 guide lines on how to delineate the signs to match their shapes to characters shapes:

1- Rule of completeness: character shapes are allocated to form the most complete sign

2- Avoid joining of signs at an angle of character shapes.

3-In principle, sign lines must not cross over other sign lines, especially enclosed shapes

The code-letters to get a character are 1 to 5 depending on whether the character has 1 or 2 or 3 parts (units):

-single unit: gets maximum of 4 codes for 1st, 2sd, 3rd, & last signs;

-Two unit and 3 unit characters get 5 codes maximum, divided in between their units:

  -2 max for the 1st unit;

  -2 max for the 2sd unit;

  -1 or 2 for the last unit

In some characters, units are made by the integration of signs, or blocks of signs. This integration reduces the number of possible parts (units) of a character of a maximum of three. 

1-Some group of strokes are always represented by the same two codes;

2-Some groups of strokes are considered as a unit when they are in certain position within the characters 

3- character shapes that enclose other shapes are preferred for input.

4--characters with some shapes considered intricate have a simplified predefined code.