Method and apparatus for storing and reconstructing Chinese-like characters

In a method and apparatus for reconstructing Chinese characters such as in a printer system, each of the characters is divided into a pair of components at least one of which occurs in one or more other characters. The components which have a height equal to the height of a standard character cell are stored together with information as to the locations of the components across the width of the standard character cell for each character. The components may be stored in a compressed form, in which event the information as to their location forms a part of the compressed data. When a given character is to be reconstructed, the first component thereof is transferred to a buffer where it is temporarily stored at the proper location across the width of a standard character cell. Thereafter, the second component is transferred to a logic circuit together with the temporarily stored first component, and the two are logically OR'ed to form the complete character. The complete character may then be advanced to imaging apparatus of a printer or other utilizing means.