Apple Chinese Language Kit - Manual (Page 32)

32 Chapter 3
1 Enter radicals for the component of the character that contains the most strokes. Enter
the radicals for the first radical, second radical, third radical, and last radical. If the same
radical appears twice in this sequence only enter it once.
2 You can use a single radical for a component of a character that consists of several strokes.
Although this may mean some of the strokes of the component are not entered in the
correct order, it reduces the number of radicals required to define the character.
3 Some Chinese characters have a central component with other components on the left
and right side. If the components on the sides are symmetrical, enter the radicals for the
central component first, then the outside components. If they are not symmetrical, enter
the radicals from left to right.
4 If the inner component is completely surrounded by other strokes, enter the radicals for
the outside strokes first, then the inner component.
5 If the inner component of a character is surrounded by other strokes but there is an
opening in the surrounding strokes, follow these rules:
a If the opening is to the left, right, or bottom of the inner component, then enter the
radicals for the outside strokes first.
b If the opening is at the top, then enter the radicals for the inner component first.
c If the surrounding strokes are open on two sides with a radical on the upper-left or
upper-right, then enter the radicals for the outside strokes first.
d If the surrounding strokes are open on two sides with a radical on the bottom-left or
bottom-right of the inner component, then enter the radicals for the inner component
first.
e Otherwise, if the inner strokes do not form a radical, then enter the radicals for the
strokes from left to right and top to bottom.
The following table provides examples of these five rules.
Rule
Chinese
character Cangjie
key Dayi
radicals
a r5
b
xw
c bo
d fok0
e
q;;o