Chinese writing system is logographic system, and English writing system is alphabetic system. Thus, there is some characteristic in Chinese words.

Each Chinese word converys some meaning. It sometimes might suggest pronounciation or the related meaning of  the character.

As a matter of fact, 90 percent of Chinese characters consists of subcomponent denoting meaning(義意) and another denoting the pronounciation(音).

Take these words for example:

媽 (first sound)     馬 (third sound)       螞 (third sound)             

All of the sound is “ma,” but the voice is different. Right part indicate the pronounciation, 馬. And the left part demonstrates meaning.

女contribute to female, so 媽 means “mother.”

Explain

• 女(a.)female
• 媽(n.) mother
• 馬(n.)horse
• 虫(n.)insect
• 螞(n.)ant
• 義(n.)meaning
• 音(n.)sound

虫 contribute to insect, so 螞 means “ant.”