Chinese is not a single language, but rather a collection of dialects that are spoken throughout the Asian country of China. According to the language report Ethnologue, Mandarin Chinese is the most commonly spoken of these dialects, being the native language of approximately 70 percent of all Chinese speakers (Reference 1). Chinese does not have an alphabet in the same way as English; it is a logographical language, which means that words are represented by individual symbols instead of consisting of different letters that would appear in an alphabet (Reference 2). Mastering these symbols can be a challenge, but it is essential for anyone who wants to understand the Chinese languages.
Familiarize yourself with the basics of Chinese writing. Words spoken in Chinese normally consist of several syllables, each of which is written with a separate character. All characters have a unique meaning and should be drawn the same size with no spaces between them. Characters can consist of up to 64 strokes, and each must be written in a certain direction and order. (Reference 3).
Identify the characters you need to learn. Large Chinese dictionaries can contain as many as 56,000 characters, but not all of these will be common in daily life. Estimates suggest that you need to learn and recognize approximately 3,000 characters to be able to understand magazines and newspapers. If your ultimate goal is to be able to read Chinese novels or technical documents, you will need to learn up to 6,000 characters. (Reference 3)
Learn to recognize basic characters. Study the characters for simple concepts such as numbers, days of the week and personal pronouns. Practice drawing the characters by hand until your efforts resemble the symbols that you are copying. Learn the sound of each character as you draw it, as this may help you memorize its shape and meaning. Make flashcards of the characters you learn, along with English translations, and pin them around your home. This increases your exposure to the characters and may improve your chances of remembering them.
Find a course to follow. Learning Chinese characters is a challenging task, and a structured approach may help you to progress faster. Make use of websites such as Clear Chinese, which offers free online courses that aim to teach beginners the basics of the Chinese writing system. Visit your local bookstore and library to look for books that focus on teaching Chinese calligraphy.
Practice writing in Chinese. It is important to practice the Chinese you have learned on a regular basis. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to continue learning and mastering Chinese, ideally at a time when your brain will be fresh and alert. Start each session by reviewing the characters you learned the day before. If you have forgotten any of those characters, concentrate your efforts on memorizing these before you move on to learn further characters.
