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Rank-frequency relation for Chinese characters

Author

Listed:
  • Weibing Deng
  • Armen Allahverdyan
  • Bo Li
  • Qiuping Wang

Abstract

We show that the Zipf’s law for Chinese characters perfectly holds for sufficiently short texts (few thousand different characters). The scenario of its validity is similar to the Zipf’s law for words in short English texts. For long Chinese texts (or for mixtures of short Chinese texts), rank-frequency relations for Chinese characters display a two-layer, hierarchic structure that combines a Zipfian power-law regime for frequent characters (first layer) with an exponential-like regime for less frequent characters (second layer). For these two layers we provide different (though related) theoretical descriptions that include the range of low-frequency characters (hapax legomena). We suggest that this hierarchic structure of the rank-frequency relation connects to semantic features of Chinese characters (number of different meanings and homographies). The comparative analysis of rank-frequency relations for Chinese characters versus English words illustrates the extent to which the characters play for Chinese writers the same role as the words for those writing within alphabetical systems. Copyright EDP Sciences, SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Weibing Deng & Armen Allahverdyan & Bo Li & Qiuping Wang, 2014. "Rank-frequency relation for Chinese characters," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 87(2), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurphb:v:87:y:2014:i:2:p:1-20:10.1140/epjb/e2014-40805-2
    DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2014-40805-2
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tianbao Qin, 2014. "Challenges for Sustainable Development and Its Legal Response in China: A Perspective for Social Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(8), pages 1-32, August.
    3. Yan, Xiaoyong & Minnhagen, Petter, 2018. "The dependence of frequency distributions on multiple meanings of words, codes and signs," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 490(C), pages 554-564.
    4. Yufeng Luo & Haolong Fu & Seydou Traore, 2014. "Biodiversity Conservation in Rice Paddies in China: Toward Ecological Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-18, September.
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    6. Benguria, Felipe & Choi, Jaerim & Swenson, Deborah L. & Xu, Mingzhi (Jimmy), 2022. "Anxiety or pain? The impact of tariffs and uncertainty on Chinese firms in the trade war," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Yuanyuan Yang & Shuwen Zhang & Dongyan Wang & Jiuchun Yang & Xiaoshi Xing, 2014. "Spatiotemporal Changes of Farming-Pastoral Ecotone in Northern China, 1954–2005: A Case Study in Zhenlai County, Jilin Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-22, December.
    8. Yuan Quan & Chenxing Wang & Yan Yan & Gang Wu & Hongxun Zhang, 2016. "Impact of Inter‐Basin Water Transfer Projects on Regional Ecological Security from a Telecoupling Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-12, February.
    9. Urban, Frauke & Geall, Sam & Wang, Yu, 2016. "Solar PV and solar water heaters in China: Different pathways to low carbon energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 531-542.

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    Keywords

    Statistical and Nonlinear Physics;

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