![Pictographs are understandable universally, like this character for "tree." (Image: Wikipedia)](http://www.radio86.co.uk/system/files/images/_-order_0.gif "Pictographs are understandable universally, like this character for "tree." (Image: Wikipedia)")
Pictographs are understandable universally, like this character for "tree." (Image: Wikipedia)Pictographs are understandable universally, like this character for "tree." (Image: Wikipedia)
Pictographs are understandable universally, like this character for "tree." (Image: Wikipedia)木 mù stands for “a tree” in Chinese, and it is very obviously a pictogram, a picture of a tree.
By drawing two trees, we get 林 lín, which means forest. 林 Lín is also a Chinese surname. Adding one more tree makes a 森 林 sēnlin, even a bigger forest! 森 sēn also describes something dark and gloomy, like a dense forest could be.
Here we see the beauty of using pictographs – they are understandable universally and the method of multiplying and combining creates many extended meanings.
As we combine a picture of a person, 人 rén, with a tree, 木mù ，we end up with 休 xīu. A man is leaning on a tree - he is having a rest, 休 xīu!
Author: Terhi Mikkolainen