How can I look up a Chinese character I see, but do not recognize?
I just need to know: When I see a Chinese character that I do not know/recognize, how can I look up the meaning and pronunciation of that character? Is there an app for Windows Phone that scans the characters in and provides this information? or some other method?Thank you joujou, but I think I need to clarify. I mean when it is not electronic, like when I see it on a sign.

Question

How can I look up a Chinese character I see, but do not recognize?
I just need to know: When I see a Chinese character that I do not know/recognize, how can I look up the meaning and pronunciation of that character? Is there an app for Windows Phone that scans the characters in and provides this information? or some other method?Thank you joujou, but I think I need to clarify. I mean when it is not electronic, like when I see it on a sign.

Answer

the old way of looking up unfamiliar chinese characters in a book dictionary is by looking at the character's radical. every character has one for example 草 grass. the radical is 艹 which is a total of 3 strokes 一丨丨

•  First you go to the front of the dictionary where the first few pages are a BIG radical list. and under 3 (for the strokes) you will find 艹 that will tell you the page where all the characters with the 艹 radical are on.

• Then you goto that page and look for 早 which is a total of 6 strokes. So on the page look under 6 strokes and you should find the character (sometimes with the pinyin too) and a page number of where you can find that character's meaning in the dictionary.

A much easier way is to get Pleco, purchase the FULL version take a photo of the chinese character and use its optical reader to tell you the meaning :-)

Good luck with your chinese studies!

Answer

On my Android phone I have a Chinese dictionary app that allows me to write in characters, it is called Pleco. I am not sure if they have something like that for that for a Windows phone, however. You can also try downloading a keyboard that allows you to write in the character, then you can copy and paste that into a dictionary app.

Answer

hello. when i see an unknown character i just copy it and paste it in the online dictionary which i am using - http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/chinese-dictionary.php , i don't know if this answer will be helpful, but also you can use your dictionary (if you have one) and by the order of strokes you can find its pronunciation and meaning. I guess if u have asked this question so u don't have a dictionary, but... that's all i can say. Good luck :)

Answer

Here's a way for phones with touchscreen.
Dload an Chinese input method app(搜狗输入法- sou gou shu ru fa , or u can just search: sogou) and dictionary
then..install  and switch it into handwriting input method ~~ DONE!!!

Answer

to determine Chinese character you need a dictionary anyway
either digital
or
the paper one
and
when you see a new/ unknown symbol you can find it by the elements
for example
you see 待 and you open the table for 彳and then find 待 down the list