Learn to read Chinese ... with ease! | ShaoLan

Summary

In this engaging script, the speaker, raised in a calligraphy-rich environment, shares her fascination with the Chinese language and its complex characters. She introduces a novel, rapid method to make learning Chinese characters more accessible, starting with eight fundamental 'radicals' that form the basis for hundreds more. With this approach, learners can quickly grasp the essence of the language, akin to a Chinese eight-year-old, and start forming phrases, exemplified by creating words for 'volcano' and 'Japan'. The talk is both educational and entertaining, leaving the audience with a newfound appreciation for Chinese characters.

Takeaways

• 📝 The speaker grew up in Taiwan and was inspired by her calligrapher mother to appreciate the beauty of Chinese characters.
• 🌐 Chinese language is seen as complex and difficult to outsiders, often compared to the Great Wall of China in its impenetrability.
• 💡 The speaker has been contemplating a new, efficient method to learn Chinese to make it accessible to those interested in its beauty.
• 🎓 Learning Chinese characters traditionally involves memorizing each stroke in sequence, a process the speaker began at the age of five.
• ⏱ Given the time constraint of a five-minute presentation, the speaker suggests a simplified approach to learning Chinese.
• 🔢 A Chinese scholar may know 20,000 characters, but basic literacy only requires 1,000 characters, with the top 200 covering 40% of basic literature.
• 🔠 The speaker introduces eight fundamental characters, or radicals, as building blocks for creating more complex characters.
• 🚶‍♂️ Characters can be combined to form new meanings, such as 'person' and 'walk' combining to mean 'follow'.
• 🔥 The character for 'fire' can be humorously imagined as a person on fire to aid in memorization.
• 🌲 The character for 'tree' can be expanded to 'woods' with two trees and 'forest' with three, demonstrating how characters evolve.
• 🏠 The character for 'door' can be modified with other elements to create new words, such as 'door bolt' or 'question'.
• 🌄 Combining characters allows for the creation of phrases, like 'mountain' and 'fire' to form 'volcano'.
• 🌞 The character for 'sun' combined with 'origin' forms 'Japan', demonstrating how geographical concepts are represented.
• 👥 The speaker humorously notes that two women together can mean an argument, and three, adultery, showing cultural nuances in character combinations.

Q & A

What is the speaker's background and how did it influence her fascination with Chinese characters?

The speaker grew up in Taiwan as the daughter of a calligrapher. Her fascination with Chinese characters began with her mother showing her the beauty, shape, and form of these characters, which she treasured as one of her most memorable experiences.

Why does the speaker describe the Chinese language as 'impenetrable as the Great Wall of China' to outsiders?

The speaker uses this metaphor to express the perceived complexity and difficulty that outsiders might face when trying to understand and appreciate the Chinese language, which can seem as daunting as the ancient wall.

What is the speaker's goal in relation to the Chinese language?

The speaker's goal is to break down the barriers that make the Chinese language seem inaccessible, allowing anyone interested to understand and appreciate its beauty through a new, fast method of learning.

How many Chinese characters does a scholar typically understand, and how many are needed for basic literacy?

A Chinese scholar would understand around 20,000 characters, but only about 1,000 are needed for basic literacy.

What is the significance of the top 200 Chinese characters in terms of comprehension?

The top 200 Chinese characters allow one to comprehend about 40 percent of basic literature, which is sufficient for understanding road signs, restaurant menus, and getting the gist of web pages or newspapers.

What is the concept of 'radicals' in the context of Chinese characters, and why are they important?

Radicals are the fundamental building blocks of Chinese characters. They are essential because they can be combined to create many more characters, simplifying the learning process.

How does the speaker use the concept of 'radicals' to teach the audience new characters?

The speaker introduces eight basic radicals and then demonstrates how these can be combined or modified to form additional characters, making the learning process more intuitive and memorable.

What is the method the speaker uses to help memorize the character for 'idiot'?

The speaker uses a mnemonic device by placing the character for 'tree' under the character for 'mouth', suggesting an image of a talking tree, which is considered 'idiotic', thus making the character easy to remember.

How does the speaker explain the formation of the character for 'volcano' using radicals?

The speaker combines the character for 'mountain' with the character for 'fire' to form the character for 'volcano', illustrating the concept of combining radicals to create new meanings.

What is the historical context behind the character for 'exile', and how has its meaning evolved?

In ancient China, the character for 'exile' represented being sent beyond the mountains, which was a common punishment for political enemies. Over time, the meaning has evolved to simply mean 'getting out'.

How does the speaker demonstrate the formation of the character for 'exit'?

The speaker combines the character for 'mouth' with the concept of 'exile' or 'getting out', suggesting that the mouth is indicating the way out, thus forming the character for 'exit'.