Many language enthusiasts have wondered, “Is Chinese hard to learn?” As China is one of the world’s largest economies, knowing Chinese can unlock numerous job opportunities.
Curious about the challenges of learning Chinese? Discover them with Thao & Co. in this article!
Whether Chinese is easy or hard to learn depends on your starting point. For Vietnamese speakers, Chinese may be an easy language to learn because the two languages share many similarities.
On the other hand, a huge gap in geography, language and culture can make Chinese a real challenge, especially for English speakers.
That said, your passion and determination significantly affect the learning process. If you’re passionate about Chinese culture, your learning journey is likely to be more engaging and enjoyable.
Chinese boasts both diversity and complexity in its linguistic features.
To this day, the Chinese language remains the only hieroglyph or logogram still in use. This is a source of pride for the Chinese people in preserving and developing their national language.
Chinese uses 6,000 characters in literary and technical works, with about 3,000 used regularly.
These characters can be combined to form new ones. With such a vast number of characters, understanding and comprehending Chinese text can be challenging.
Additionally, Chinese has two writing systems that can create difficulties for learners. Each is used depending on the type of texts.
Given these characteristics, Chinese learners must develop a keen sense of when and how to use the appropriate characters and writing system.
The Chinese grammar system has several unique features. An interesting fact is that Chinese grammar seems to be simpler than English.
Key differences include:
These unique characteristics can also make Chinese hard to learn, as meaning often depends heavily on context.
For example, the particle “了” is used in affirmative sentences to indicate a completed action. However,
In practice, to convey past events, native speakers frequently use “有” or time-related phrases like “昨天” (yesterday), “明天” (tomorrow), or others.
Therefore, understanding context and communication culture is crucial when learning Chinese.
China is a country with high-context culture, which is why the Chinese language possesses a unique treasure trove of idiomatic expressions called “chengyu.”
Most chengyu consist of four characters and convey concise, profound meanings derived from literary works, historical events, or legends.
Some chengyu have direct equivalents in the target language.
For example, The chengyu “百闻不如一见” (bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn) can be translated into “Seeing is believing” in English.
However, of the approximately 5,000 chengyu, many lack direct equivalents in the other languages.
Languages never remain static and are always evolving. That’s why various regions have distinctive dialects.
In China, dialects are classified into seven major groups, including:
Dialects are often tied to regional cultural context, making them a significant challenge to Chinese learners.
Learning Chinese can be a breeze or a challenge, depending on learner’s background and passion. Vietnamese people may find Chinese easier to learn compared to English speakers.
The key is persistence, as language learning is a long journey. Self-study skills and continuous exposure to Chinese will help learners master the language more quickly.
