The more I think about it, the more I realize how Chinese is easier than Japanese.. sometimes it… - Feed Post by Tamir
The more I think about it, the more I realize how Chinese is easier than Japanese.. sometimes it makes me want to learn it instead but I have to stay strong
It's all written here: http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2006/07/20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/
It's all written here: http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2006/07/20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/
posted by Tamir
Comments 8
When I looked at Chinese a while back I noticed the grammar appeared much easier (even though Japanese supposedly has easy grammar). The word order just seems easier to comprehend from an English speaker's perspective. Also, the way they use hanzi seems more straight forward and easier to learn than the way it's used in the Japanese writing system.
However, there aren't many things about China that I have a personal interest in. Sure, it's the birth place of Chinese characters, they have decent takeaways all around the world, and with Hong Kong included they have good martial arts movies, but not a lot else that I'm aware of.
Japan has anime, manga, video gaming, robotics, high tech, bullet trains, motor industry of awesome sportscars, history containing ninja and samurai, geisha, lots of cool music, proper democracy, true freedom of speech,... All that along with also having Chinese characters, decent food, their own martial arts, and good movies.
The main thing I think learning Chinese has going for it is that China has population around 10x that of Japan. This means you would be able to communicate with a considerably larger percentage of the world's population. Other than that though, should definitely persevere and not simply settle for the easier to learn option. Definitely stay strong! ^^
Couldn't agree more, great post!
And it's actually not correct that if you know "Chinese" you can speak to all the billion Chinese people, because there are many dialects that you need to learn separately
China - 5000 years civilisation, one of the oldest civilisations. Go figure.
I'd be surprised to find anything positive about China coming from BBC, CNN lot. I'd expected much wiser comment about China from you. On the other hand, I’m not surprised about it from where you come from. Unfortunately, this is probably one of the most unknowledgeable comments I’ve read about Chinese culture - Chinese decent takeaway is one of the only two or three positive things that you know about China. Chinese takeaway around the world is only a tiny ice tip of Chinese cuisine. Not to mention they are generally inauthentic, and tailored especially to fit foreigners' tastes, and probably mostly Cantonese style. Why would westerners keep simply thinking that they eat Chinese takeaways in their own countries and read news about China in western media, and then they would know what China really is?!
Excluding Chinese characters in Japanese come from China, a great deal of Japanese culture were imported from China too: architecture, arts, etc. Japan adopted them, and preserved them. One of the most famous periods was during Tang dynasty when Japanese diplomatic ambassadors were sent to Imperial China to learn Chinese culture. Not the best link, you get a hint of it: http://www.char4u.com/content/the-influence-of-chinese-culture-on-japanese-culture/.
Seriously, are you really talking about real democracy and freedom of speech?! Are you talking about the American PRISM way of democracy or your British Tempora way of democracy or any other similar programmes?! How about go asking おわだまさこ how she feels about her freedom of speech? Or, let's not go that far by simply looking at probably the most rigorous hierarchical system at work place and during daily life. I quite doubt that a country with so seriously respected pecking order at work would have real democracy. Good for them if they do?! Work-related depression is said to be one of the main reasons contributing Japan to become one of the countries with highest suicide rate in the world.
Ignorance of Chinese history and culture is like Japanese’s ignorance and disavowal of Nanking Massacre and Unit 731, and their attempt to erase and falsity this part of their history. I learn a language is not because I love this country, but that I choose to embrace the culture from this country, be it good or bad, and especially learn the good. I choose not bigotedly only think of British’s fake and hypocritical politeness and loyalty to the USA, but also look back in the history to its contribution to the world civilisation. Same to Japan.
No, I’m not brainwashed by Chinese government, instead I choose to be open-minded. I don’t like many things in China, too. China used to be and had always been a powerful and prosperous country along the history where its four greatest inventions had advanced world civilisation to a substantial extent. However, I regret it that one of the inventions gunpowder was used against China during the history and against the human kind. I hate it that since late cowardly and incompetent Qing dynasty, China was led to continuous wars and poverty, and let western imperialists destroy our land, steal our treasure. I hate that the inexperienced contemporary Chinese government took detours and emphasised greatly on the economic and cultural reform, and ignored the preservation of great traditional Chinese culture and value, and let down its guard and allowed greedy businessmen, be it Chinese or western to keep exploiting China and make China an even worse place and make Chinese start to lose their traditional virtue and value.
Chinese very welcome friendly foreigners, but NO, they do not welcome western capitalists to go to China to exploit Chinese cheap labour! You faceless and disgraceful western exploiters complain about poor quality of Chinese products. You get what you are willing to pay for! How dare you want to pay little money and get good stuff from China, and scream how bad the quality what you bought from China, and how bad the environment is in China, like it has nothing to do with you whatsoever when almost everything you use are from China. I found the people complain the most are the people who exploit the most out of China.
No, Chinese don’t eat dogs. It’s only a small village in South China that has dog festival every year. Chinese people completely disapprove it! Why haven’t I read many report in media everywhere about Japan’s dolphin slaughter festival every year, or Denmark’s dolphin hunting, or Canada seal hunting … ?!
No, Chinese government did not kill thousands of students in 1989. In order not to be ignorant and be better informed, I searched everywhere for the pictures/videos where western media claimed the tanks RUN OVER thousands of students. I couldn’t find any, literally none. There are pictures/videos where there were student casualties, hurt, might have died, most importantly, there were even more Chinese soldiers that were injured and killed too (why have I not found any reports about this?!). You BBC and CNN lot were in China recording the event too, how come I can’t find any of your REAL photos/videos that showing the students were crushed by the tanks whatsoever?! I saw the live TV in 1989. I remember clearly that many Chinese soldiers were caught, hurt and killed because they were ordered not to hurt civilians and students; the Chinese government had negotiated with the students asking them to leave peacefully and go back to class and discuss further. However, they students started to act violently which led Chinese government to send out tanks. The few Chinese students who claimed there were thousands of students been run over by tanks and shot with machine guns in 1989 had long been prepared with their journey to the USA. There had been even more students who participated in the 1989 protest gave interviews that they had not personally seen the students been shot and grinded by tanks. Probably there was, but I have not been able to find any of your so-called evidence in western websites.
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There are so many things you don’t know about China and Chinese culture. Like every country, China has both its positive side and negative side. After so many years suffer in the wars, revolution and poverty afterwards, China could rise up quickly like now without providing any financial burden to the world, instead assisting many countries to preserve a better and more peaceful world, unlike certain countries that provoke conflicts and invade other countries. There is so much you should learn from China. No, we don’t appreciate people who don’t know how to appreciate and embrace culture. No, stop being stupid, we Chinese don’t want to take over the world but to live and prosper peacefully, unlike certain “democratic” countries. Chinese are wise enough to know that wars can only make people suffer because they’ve suffered enough in the past and that we should learn from each other and help each other.
Freedom of speech?! Human right?! Don’t use your western countries “democracy” skin to go double standard and judge all other nations. China has 1.4 billion people, not hundreds or thousands or millions of people in a tiny land like western countries. I would positively visualise you western leaders wouldn’t have a tiny clue how to govern 1.4 billion people and lead them from complete poverty to one of the biggest economic in the world just in few years with your so-called proper democracy. China is the only country that allows One Country, Two Systems which has not hindered the overall development of China. China is not as close as you think. China do not supress religions, LGBT... China has famous and well-accepted transwoman presenter... Chinese welcomes guests any time to drop in, unlike distant Japanese and British who requires appointments even for friends …
Eating Chinese takeaways, knowing few limited things from your western media is called you know enough of China. Don’t make me laugh. Not aware of other stuff because you choose what to see, what to read and what to believe. Never underestimate 5000 years of culture.
And yes, Chinese (Mandarin) grammar is much easier, but to truly grasp Chinese writing system (not to mention go back to learn the historical writing systems), tonality as well as rich culture associated with the language is not easy as you think. I have not met any foreigner who can pronounce proper Chinese.
Pardon my language, but they are true. For once and all, some extra info above that you thought you knew about China. Lastly, some music with Chinese music instruments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmTmKdHOzGk. Performed by Chinese deaf artists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ITaWINd-WQ. And something you’ll never have the chance to read: http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-most-beneficial-and-positive-things-that-the-Chinese-government-PRC-has-done.
Now will you excuse me. Thanks.
- I read everything you wrote, but I am on holiday and have already spent nearly an hour of the morning sat down with my phone. It isn't easy to type lots without having a keyboard.
I tried to say "personal interests" and "not a lot else I'm aware of". I'm interested in the origins of hanzi and I did kung fu for a couple of months before unfortunately having to give it up. These are the only major things that I've naturally become interested in from China. Most countries I wouldn't even be able to name anything. I can't think of anything for America, for example.
I'm definitely not a food connoisseur, but Chinese restaurants are everywhere whereas until a few years ago Japanese restaurants seemed extremely rare in the UK. It's not really that I think one is better than the other, just that it has been harder to experience any Japanese food in the UK. Both are great, it's just that I don't get to eat fish often at home and really like fish.
Okay, that took me 30 mins to type... Wrote too much. Bullet points.
BBC sucks. Biased left-wing rubbish. http://biasedbbc.org/
Even taking your views into account, I still stand by what I said about democracy and free speech.
I hadn't even heard some of those rumours you mentioned about Tiananmen Square 1989 . I was only 3 when it happened. But I think saying more soldiers died is absurd. - Wish I could type what I wanted to say but I suck at using stupid touchscreen keypads. Had to cut it short. Maybe finish the post in a month.
- China was a great place until the communists came and destroyed it. destroyed the culture, the language, the history, everything.
of course they did some good things to the economy i guess.
but look at the pollution for example, they are going to run out of water in a few years.. it's really sad - You've never heard from the western news about it, that's why it's absurd, but it doesn't mean it wouldn't be true. In many disastrous situations in China, it is very often that the Chinese soldiers sacrifice their lives. It is very common in China (I don't mean they should, but the situtions), but not the other way around (civilians). As you might know that HongKong media should be opener than mainland China, HongKong media also disclosed the falsified information about 1989 by the western media.
Why people keep thinking communist is the sin for everything. That's very single-minded way of thinking (I think). I should say that the result of everything might be a combination of many factors, not because of one specific reason or system per se. Very good traditions still existed in China after the communist took over, very many bad habits started to form after economic reform when China opened its door to the west.
Thank you, but you don't really have to reply about it because I've really seen enough of your reports in the west, there is almost no good things about China in your media. I'm writing so much only wanted to tell you something you might never see. That's your call to believe it or not of course, but there is a chance you should see the other side of the story too. Thanks a lot. Have a good trip there or study! 
@mog86uk I feel the same way about learning Japanese vs Mandarin, though lately I've been getting more interested in Taiwanese culture. It's probably because of the cultural influence from Japan there.
