In this Index the tones are not marked, except that the jip, when it ends with a vowel, is indicated by a breve over the final letter.
In the table of radicals the name of the radical is first given and then the name by which it is usually designated by Tie Chiu men, when it differs from the former, is given in Italic except when prevented by want of room. C. annexed to a Radical indicates that it is used only in composition with other characters; when prefixed to a secondary form of a Radical it indicates that that form is only so used.
In the list of words, the common sound, or that under which it is arranged in the Vocabulary, is first given, and then the Reading sound when it differs from the common, is given in Italic. The words under each Radical are arranged according to the number of strokes, but where there are only few words under a Radical the number of strokes is not indicated, as the eye will at once rest on the word sought without the trouble of counting. The list is believed to contain all the words in common use, and may therefore serve as a guide in the preparation of Chinese type, or of Vocabularies in other dialects.
