Simplified and Traditional Chinese Characters

The written Chinese language evolved over the years however today there are two main written versions of the characters in use today, traditional and simplified. Personally I only learn how to write simplified character, but there are certain rules which you can learn to recognise traditional characters. Traditional characters can be important to learn, especially when you go to KTV (karaoke). Most KTV bars use traditional characters and if you wanna sing along, you best get used to the traditional characters, only if it’s to read and recognise them.


Simplified is the more common written form in Mainland China where as the traditional form you will find in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Although the simplified form with fewer strokes can be quicker and easier to learn, the traditional form can also be easier to understand from a different perspective. This is because the traditional characters still maintain all of the radicals and meaning within the character, therefore if you were to look at a traditional character for the first time and you just understood the radicals, you could probably piece them together to get a rough understanding of what the characters meaning.

Simplified or traditional, which do you understand and which do you prefer?

龙 - Dragon - simplified character
龍 - Dragon - traditional character

Learn Chinese through Poem - 悯农

Poems are a great way to learn a new language are also a good incite into culture. I’ve just learned a new poem called Min Nong (悯农) which means to have pity on agriculture. Chinese history goes back around 3,000 years, this poem itself is around 2,000 years old and as I state on my YouTube video its “ancient ancient pop music!”

悯农
锄禾日当午，
汗滴禾下土。
谁知盘中飧，
粒粒皆辛苦。

English Translation

Have pity on agriculture

At noon they weed with hoes,
Their sweat drips onto the soil.
Each bowl of rice, who knows?,
Every single grain is exhausting.


And there we have it, remember to check out the YouTube video and let me know how my pronunciation is like.

Thanks,
李华