Logogram and
Phonogram
By: Wang Yujiang
There are two kinds of characters or symbols in writing
systems. They are logogram and phonogram.
A phonogram is a
character or symbol or combination of
them that represent a single vocal
sound, namely a phoneme or a syllable, without reference to meaning. For example, alphabetic letters and Japanese
Kana are phonograms.
A logogram is a character or symbol that represents
a concept, namely a word or
phrase, for example, numerical digits,
punctuation marks, and other individual symbols. Most logograms do not stand
for a single vocal sound.
Is a Chinese character a logogram or phonogram? It depends. Please read my blog “Is a Chinese
character a logogram or phonogram?”
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