roddy Posted August 24, 2004 at 02:55 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 at 02:55 AM This is a bit of a random question, just started thinking about it as I was flicking through my dictionary. Is there any reason why some syllables (say yi) have so many characters, while some (say kun) have so few? Roddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xuechengfeng Posted August 24, 2004 at 03:55 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 at 03:55 AM My guess is because the Chinese wanted make the language the hardest in the world!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted August 24, 2004 at 09:13 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 at 09:13 AM Originally, many of those yis were pronounced a bit different, there were only a few of each. You can still see this in Cantonese, yat, yik, and the like in Mandarin all became yi. I guess kun and some other sounds changed less. I don't know why though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted August 24, 2004 at 03:12 PM Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 at 03:12 PM In Cantonese: 一 yut 亿 yic 以 yee 艺 ngai 遗 wai 裔 yui all became yi in Mandarin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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