Abstract: The study is conducted to explore the factors of Chinese written characterforms and the psychological processes which affect the acquisition of ChineseCharacters, and their inner relationship, in the hope of supplying a theoreticalbasis for elementary Chinese character instruction and cultivation of the pupils'ability in learning Chinese characters. The indexes of this experiment are op-eration speed and accuracy of visual image in composition or decomposition ofChinese characters. TP-801 single board computer was used to present thestimulus and to collect data automatically based upon a survey of 120 pupilsrandomely selected from several Guangzhou elementary schools. The mainresults are as follows: (1) High relation exists between the operation speedand accuracy of visual image in composition or decomposition of Chinese cha-racters and the levels of Chinese character achievement (high middle and lowlevel groups), and significant differences exist among the three levels. (2)Not all of the levels of Chinese characters lead to significant differences ofoperation speed of the visual image, only to a certain degree. (3) The errortypes in composition or decomposition of Chinese characters among the threelevels differ, most in the low level show order confusion, while most in thehigh and middle levels show composition exchange.

Key words: Chinese characters, learning, image operation, experiment