Should schools start teaching traditional characters again?

[Yizhi]

Same. The character in my avatar is a primary example of a traditional character that looks much better than the simplified version.

HOWEVER I think Simplified characters are much more efficient, and that matters a lot.

Efficiency is important. Overall I prefer Simplified characters for that reason.

agreed. for calligraphy and digital arts i do use more traditional ones. but the thought of writing composition in exams manually with traditional characters....uh, it's terrifying...

I learned traditional Chinese calligraphy from 5-year-old to 14-year-old, a 2-hour lesson every weekend, at least one-hour exercise every single day.
Honestly speaking, traditional Chinese is beautiful aesthetically, especially in calligraphy. (But not in printed books, like messy codes)
But, whilst I was exercising using the ancient copybook of calligraphy, I found a lot of characters in simplified forms.
Remember, characters are always in the dynamic evolution, there is no way turning back.


simplified ////// traditional
《登鹳雀楼》by王之涣 /////////《登鸛雀樓》 by王之渙
白日依山尽,黄河入海流。 /// 白日依山盡，黃河入海流。
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。/// 欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。
All the simplified forms can by found in ancient calligraphy copybooks.
Reading traditional Chinese is far enough.
btw, normally we don't have Chinese lessons in college. If we read novels, 4000-5000 is not enough. If calculating all characters one can understand but cannot write, I think the number is at least 6000.

to calligraphy.

 

[Al Bhatti]

If we read novels, 4000-5000 is not enough. If calculating all characters one can understand but cannot write, I think the number is at least 6000.

I have a very long way to go. I have so far learnt around 2249 simplified characters only in four years through self study.

 

[AndrewJin]

agreed. for calligraphy and digital arts i do use more traditional ones. but the thought of writing composition in exams manually with traditional characters....uh, it's terrifying...

to calligraphy.

I bought a book printed in HK. They really need a larger font.

I have a very long way to go. I have so far learnt around 2249 simplified characters only in four years through self study.

Good for you!
2000 is enough for reading newspaper, however, words, phrases and idioms are obstacles.(we still use idioms and phrases 2000 years ago).

agreed. for calligraphy and digital arts i do use more traditional ones. but the thought of writing composition in exams manually with traditional characters....uh, it's terrifying...

to calligraphy.

My work (王羲之 style）

@Nihonjin1051 I heard some Japanese like 王羲之's calligraphy style?

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

I have read somewhere that an average Chinese who finishes college or university knows about 4000-5000 characters.

Out of this what percentage of characters are same in both simplified and traditional form?

4000 is good enough. Your current knowledge is sufficient. I personally probably only know 3000 or so, but it is not in how many characters you know (once you have the minimum), it is in how you use them, which is the huge hurdle for foreigners. They don't know 成语, nor how to present an argument, nor how to use Chinese logic.

 

[Yizhi]

I bought a book printed in HK. They really need a larger font.

humm... most of the time i don't realize that i'm actually reading traditional characters.

My work

beautiful!
i did calligraphy mainly in primary school and then moved to painting...

 

[AndrewJin]

humm... most of the time i don't realize that i'm actually reading traditional characters.

beautiful!
i did calligraphy mainly in primary school and then moved to painting...

I know a little about Chinese traditional painting.

humm... most of the time i don't realize that i'm actually reading traditional characters.

beautiful!
i did calligraphy mainly in primary school and then moved to painting...

中华书局 has published tons of books in traditional Chinese. I bought some, like 古文观止

 

[Al Bhatti]

Good for you!
2000 is enough for reading newspaper, however, words, phrases and idioms are obstacles.(we still use idioms and phrases 2000 years ago).

4000 is good enough. Your current knowledge is sufficient. I personally probably only know 3000 or so, but it is not in how many characters you know (once you have the minimum), it is in how you use them, which is the huge hurdle for foreigners. They don't know 成语, nor how to present an argument, nor how to use Chinese logic.

Yes you are right, I get stuck in words and idioms and phrases which I have not come across earlier even if the characters used in them are familiar to me.

I have studied some 成语They are part of the lessons I studied.

我学习了:

新实用汉语课本： 第一册到第六册。

尔雅中文： 高级商务汉语会话教程– 上，中，下

 

[StarCraft_ZT]

I have a very long way to go. I have so far learnt around 2249 simplified characters only in four years through self study.

A normal Chinese, if learns 3000 characters, it's more than enough to live without any key communication problems

 

[AndrewJin]

Yes you are right, I get stuck in words and idioms and phrases which I have not come across earlier even if the characters used in them are familiar to me.

I have studied some 成语They are part of the lessons I studied.

我学习了:

新实用汉语课本： 第一册到第六册。

尔雅中文： 高级商务汉语会话教程– 上，中，下

A good example from newspaper
北京警方捕获了在各地流窜多日，前日抵京犯案的逃犯三人。他们作案累累，如今天网恢恢，疏而不漏，终于先后落网。
phrases: 流窜多日，作案累累
idiom：天网恢恢，疏而不漏（From《老子》，500 B.C.)

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

I know a little about Chinese traditional painting.


中华书局 has published tons of books in traditional Chinese. I bought some, like 古文观止

古文观止 I also have.

 

[AndrewJin]

古文观止 I also have.

A compilation of best ancient essays

 

[Lux de Veritas]

Yes you are right, I get stuck in words and idioms and phrases which I have not come across earlier even if the characters used in them are familiar to me.

I have studied some 成语They are part of the lessons I studied.

我学习了:

新实用汉语课本： 第一册到第六册。

尔雅中文： 高级商务汉语会话教程– 上，中，下

Also all major Sinitic language group use their own spectrum of lexicon. I speak 3 Sinitic languages. I give you an example.

The word handsome

Mandarin - 英俊 Yingjun
Taiwanese - 缘投 Yandao
Cantonese - 靓 leng

 

[AndrewJin]

Also all major Sinitic language group use their own spectrum of lexicon. I speak 3 Sinitic languages. I give you an example.

The word handsome

Mandarin - 英俊 Yingjun
Taiwanese - 缘投 Yandao
Cantonese - 靓 leng

Standard Chinese vs dialects.
The first one is recommended for foreigners，used in mainland and Taiwan.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

A good example from newspaper
北京警方捕获了在各地流窜多日，前日抵京犯案的逃犯三人。他们作案累累，如今天网恢恢，疏而不漏，终于先后落网。
phrases: 流窜多日，作案累累
idiom：天网恢恢，疏而不漏（From《老子》，500 B.C.)

At this point, sometimes I don't recognize what is 成语 and what is common, because I use them alot. Of course I misuse them occasionally. 智者千虑必有一失 =)

Also all major Sinitic language group use their own spectrum of lexicon. I speak 3 Sinitic languages. I give you an example.

The word handsome

Mandarin - 英俊 Yingjun
Taiwanese - 缘投 Yandao
Cantonese - 靓 leng

英俊是标准说法，而其他的只能说是地方俚语。

 

[Al Bhatti]

The word handsome

Mandarin - 英俊 Yingjun

This one is new for me. I studied 帅