Language Reading

How many graphic components do most Chinese characters have, and what do they signify?

Most characters have two parts - meaning (radical) and pronunciation (phonetic component).

About when did Chinese writing begin?

Around 1200 BCE, with the earliest evidence on oracle bone inscriptions.

How many characters does a person need to know to read a newspaper?

2000-3000 characters; educated readers may know 4000+.

What are some other languages spoken in China and where?

Cantonese (southern China: Guangdong, Hong Kong), Shanghainese Wu (eastern China: Shanghai region), Hokkien Min (southeastern coastal areas: Fujian, Taiwan).

What does it mean that Chinese is a tonal language?

Word meaning depends on pitch/tone; the same sound can mean different things with different tones.

How many major dialect groups are there in China?

About 7 major dialect groups.

Which are the most and second most spoken dialects in China?

Most spoken: Mandarin (N China), second most: Wu (eastern China, Shanghai area).

On what materials were the oldest discovered texts written and for what purpose?

Written on oracle bones (turtle shells, ox bones) for divination and communication with ancestors.

When was Chinese script first standardized and by whom?

Standardized around 221 BCE by Qin Shi Huang.

What is the difference between 'simplified' Chinese and 'traditional' Chinese?

'Simplified' has fewer strokes and is used in mainland China; 'traditional' has original complex forms and is used in Taiwan & Hong Kong.

What are 'pinyin' and 'Wade-Giles'?

Both are systems to romanize Chinese sounds; Pinyin is modern and widely used today, while Wade-Giles is older and less commonly used.