This dictionary is designed to help students understand, appreciate and remember Chinese characters. Charts show how each part of the more than 4000 characters in the dictionary can be traced back to about 200 simple pictographs and ideographs. Every character entry includes a brief traditional Chinese etymology based on the Shuowen Jiezi and commentaries on it that date back nearly 2000 years. Simplified forms for each character are given, though the dictionary is structured around traditional forms.

Chinese subtitle from spine. Forward by Rick Harbaugh shows that he is the author. 14th printing also distributed by: Claremont McKenna College and Claremont Graduate University. In Chinese and English. Chinese collection.