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By HeziCyan
As we all know, there are two different writing systems for the Chinese language: traditional characters (繁體字) and simplified characters (简体字). There is always an ongoing, heated debate about whether to learn traditional or simplified Chinese, which can be quite confusing for beginners. In this article, we will explore some major differences between these two writing systems to help you grasp a deeper understanding of both and therefore make an informed decision.
History Behind the Characters
Chinese characters have their roots in ancient Chinese script forms such as the oracle bone inscriptions (甲骨文) made during the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) to record the results of divinations and the bronze inscriptions (金文) used on ritual bronzes from the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046-256 BC). These early forms then evolved into the seal script (篆書/篆书) during the Qin dynasty (211-206 BC), adopted as the formal script across all of China under the reign of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in Chinese history. Later, the clerical script (隸書/隶书) became dominant in the Han dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), bearing high similarity to modern traditional Chinese characters. The characters continued to evolve through different dynasties, until the regular script (楷書/楷书) matured and dominated during the Tang dynasty (618-907). This regular script is still in active use today, as the most common writing style in both its traditional and simplified forms. Over the following centuries, the structures of traditional characters remained relatively stable, preserving their historical and cultural significance.
In the last century, some scholars argued that the complexity of traditional characters hindered the modernization process. Primarily aimed at increasing literacy rates in twentieth-century China, some simplification efforts began with scholars and reformers advocating for a more accessible writing system. In the 1950s, the People's Republic of China, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, launched a formal campaign to simplify Chinese characters. Largely influenced by semi-cursive (行書/行书) and cursive (草書/草书) scripts, the government issued several lists of simplified characters during the following decades, reducing the average stroke count per character and merging similar characters. In consequence of the simplification and other education reforms, the overall literacy rates have gone rapidly from 20 percent in 1950 to 99.83% in 2021.
However, some traditionalists resisted this change, insisting on the use of traditional characters to preserve their cultural meanings. As a result, traditional and simplified Chinese characters coexist in different countries or regions today. Simplified characters are adopted officially in mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia, while traditional characters are standard mainly in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
Comparisons
1. 門 vs. 门, lit. "door"
Traditional: 門 (8 strokes)
Simplified: 门 (3 strokes)
Being a quite common radical, many other characters consist of this character, e.g., 們/们 (suffix indicating plural), 悶/闷 (gloomy), 問/问 (to ask). This simplification reduces the complexity of writing to a great extent. Though some may argue that unlike its traditional form, the simplified 门 loses the visual resemblance to a real door.
2. 發/髮 vs. 发
Traditional: 發 (12 strokes, lit. "to shoot, to issue, etc.") / 髮 (15 strokes, lit. "hair")
Simplified: 发 (5 strokes)
This is a good example of the merging methods used in the process of simplification. The two characters that are different from each other in their traditional forms, 發 and 髮, now merged into the same character 发.
3. 愛 vs. 爱, lit. "love"
Traditional: 愛 (13 strokes)
Simplified: 爱 (10 strokes)
The reduction in strokes helps people better write and recognize this character. However, the simplified character 爱 removed of the 心 ("heart") radical, leading some to feel that the character's depth of meaning is diminished.
4. 龍 vs. 龙 vs. 竜, lit. "dragon"
Traditional: 龍
Simplified: 龙
Japanese Kanji (Shinjitai): 竜
In fact, Japanese government is doing its own simplification of kanji at the same time, independent from China's, resulting in three different variations of one word with the same meaning.
5. 廴
Traditional: 廴 (3 strokes)
Simplified: 廴 (2 strokes, with the two turning strokes becoming one continuous stroke)
廴 is a component used to form other Chinese characters, as in 建 (to build) and 延 (to prolong). The simplification process alters the stroke structures of components for efficiency.
Decisions
As mentioned above, simplified characters are definitely easier for beginners due to fewer strokes. If you seek the cultural depth of traditional characters, you must brave the staggering complexity and difficulty.
Considering where each system is used: if you are fascinated by modern mainland China culture, like gacha games and webnovels, simplified characters are surely preferable. If you are drawn in ancient Chinese literature or the cultures of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, delving deeper into traditional characters is a desirable choice for you!
Deciding between traditional and simplified characters is undoubtedly crucial in your Mandarin learning journey. But don't be too nervous! Anyway, once you advance, you'll be able to deduce meanings from context across both systems. Moreover, users of both writing systems can understand each other in oral communication.
Thanks for reading! And best of luck in your Chinese learning journey!
About HeziCyan
Hezi, a freshman from China, is passionate about languages and linguistics, with a special interest in phonology. Fluent in Mandarin and Hokkien, he is also learning English and Japanese. Deeply intrigued by anime, manga, and video games, Hezi enjoys immersing himself in Japanese culture, as well as the Japanese language. Meanwhile, Hezi has recently developed an interest in Korean and Indonesian. Always keen on experiencing different cultures and diving into literature, Hezi’s passion for languages continues to grow.
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