Culture Arena
China · Literature · Hard
Which classic Chinese dictionary, compiled around 100 CE by Xu Shen, analyses over 9,000 Chinese characters, categorises them by 540 radicals and remains a foundational reference for Chinese etymology?
Answer: Shuowen Jiezi — The Shuowen Jiezi ('Explaining Graphs and Analysing Characters') is the first comprehensive dictionary of Chinese characters to use the radical system, and remains an essential tool for studying oracle bone and bronze inscriptions.
- A Kangxi Dictionary
- B Erya
- C Guangyun
- D Shuowen Jiezi ✓
The Shuowen Jiezi ('Explaining Graphs and Analysing Characters') is the first comprehensive dictionary of Chinese characters to use the radical system, and remains an essential tool for studying oracle bone and bronze inscriptions.