Myths about Learning Chinese and Why they are not True (Part 1)
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There are many myths about learning Chinese. Is learning Chinese really that complicated? Is Chinese the most difficult language in the world?
In this post, we’ll look at common myths non-native speakers often hold about learning Chinese.
Understanding these misconceptions will not only correct your perspective but also dissolve the mental barriers you might have when approaching this fascinating language.
Myth 1: Chinese is the hardest language in the world
A popular measure for language learning difficulty comes from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). They’ve estimated the time it takes to reach general proficiency in various languages.
In their list, languages are divided into four groups. Mandarin Chinese is in the 4th group, which demands the most study time: roughly 88 weeks or 1.6 years. For comparison, languages in the first group need about 24-30 weeks of study; the second group requires 36 weeks, and the third, 44 weeks.
At first glance, these numbers might lead people to think that Chinese is the hardest language to learn. However, it’s important to remember that learning difficulty can be very personal. It often depends on your native language and any other languages you might already know.
For example, if your mother tongue is an East Asian language like Korean or Japanese, you may find many similarities with Mandarin Chinese. Both Korean and Japanese use some similar basic sentence structures to Chinese and even share some Chinese characters in their writing systems.
So, for speakers of these languages, learning Mandarin could be easier than learning a European language like French or Spanish.
On the other hand, if your native language is a European one, you might find it easier to learn other European languages due to similar grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. In this case, Mandarin Chinese might seem more challenging due to the differences in these areas.
It’s not that Chinese is the hardest language for everyone—it could just be more challenging for some people based on their linguistic background.
Myth 2: Chinese has tens of thousands of characters to memorize
The thought of memorizing thousands of Chinese characters can seem overwhelming, but don’t let this intimidate you. The reality is, you don’t need to master an astronomical number of characters to understand everyday Chinese publications.
When it comes to learning Chinese characters, adopting a systematic approach can be incredibly helpful. For instance, studying common components or Chinese radicals, also known as bushou (部首; bù shǒu), can assist you in recognizing patterns and understanding new characters more easily.
The Chinese government has curated a list known as the “Table of General Standard Chinese Characters” (通用汉字表; tōng yòng hàn zì biǎo). This catalog breaks down 8100 characters into three distinct levels.
The first level, referred to as the “essential characters,” comprises 3500 characters. These are the characters that Chinese schoolchildren are typically expected to master before graduating from high school.
The encouraging news for you, as a Chinese learner, is that you don’t have to learn all 3500 characters! If you manage to learn just 1000 of them, you’ll be able to comprehend approximately 89% of the content in common publications like newspapers, magazines, and novels.
Moreover, to pass Level 3 of the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) – an international standardized exam that tests Chinese language proficiency–you only need to be familiar with about 615 characters.
That’s significantly less than tens of thousands! So, remember: there’s no need to feel overwhelmed.
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