Comments on: Which is harder? Japanese or Chinese? http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/ Nihongo.3Yen.com - Japanese Language Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:34:20 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Keith http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-118568 Keith Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:50:32 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-118568 I think I will be able to learn Japanese. I speak Cantonese and I can understand Mandarine without learning it formally. If Japanese is comparable to Mandarine, then it should be easier than Cantonese. I think Cantonese is one of the hardest language to learn. With all the slang and million ways to express an idea. Thank god I don't need to learn it. I think I will be able to learn Japanese. I speak Cantonese and I can understand Mandarine without learning it formally. If Japanese is comparable to Mandarine, then it should be easier than Cantonese.

I think Cantonese is one of the hardest language to learn. With all the slang and million ways to express an idea. Thank god I don’t need to learn it.

]]> By: Yannick http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-117918 Yannick Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:36:33 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-117918 Hey ppl, I've got a little question that will probably determine the rest of my life haha. I'm from Belgium and my motherlanguage is Dutch, followed by French, English and German, but i want to learn more languages! Now i am hesitating so much between Chinese or Japanese ... Could anyone tell me wich one would fit me best (as a native Dutch speaker) and what the (dis)advantages are of each? I would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance Yannick Hey ppl,
I’ve got a little question that will probably determine the rest of my life haha.
I’m from Belgium and my motherlanguage is Dutch, followed by French, English and German, but i want to learn more languages!
Now i am hesitating so much between Chinese or Japanese …
Could anyone tell me wich one would fit me best (as a native Dutch speaker) and what the (dis)advantages are of each?
I would really appreciate it!
Thanks in advance

Yannick

]]> By: C3l3n3 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-114316 C3l3n3 Wed, 06 May 2009 23:04:37 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-114316 I'm a native English speaker and am also fluent in Spanish (I lived abroad) and have taken both Japanese and Chinese (only 1/2 a year of Japanese and 1 year of Chinese), but I found Japanese much easier. The only reason I quit was because of transportation issues (I was in high school). I'm a Freshman in college now, and Chinese is killer hard. Sure, it's easy at first, but the grammar is ridiculous and after learning around 1,000 characters, I forgot nearly all of them since after a years worth of material, it is ridiculously hard to review past material and then memorize new material. And I agree with everyone about the "non-grammar." It is very difficult because the grammar isn't set-in-stone...or sand...or air. :/ I think Mandarin is easier for Cantonese speakers simply because it is so similar. Most of my class is Cantonese, and the rest speak another Asian language. They pick this stuff up like it's nothing. I can hardly keep up, because the grammar doesn't make sense to me. Sure you have to memorize three (including Kanji) alphabets in Japanese...but then it's over with and you constantly practice those characters so it's hard to forget. And Japanese media is sooo much more entertaining xD My boyfriend is Chinese and most of the popular music is cheesy pop music/love songs, the tv shows are dull for the most part, and it's definitely not encouraging to study in your "funtime." Japanese language has Video games, anime, manga, cool tv shows/movies, and awesome music (of MANY genres). Also, people state Japanese has some irregular pronunciations...Chinese seems to be full of them. Each character seems to have a few different pronunciations depending upon the other characters it is used with, and then of course, each tone has it's own individual character to go along with. You have to memorize pinyin, words (with the tones), the translation, and the character/s...just to learn one word. I'm starting up on Japanese again. 0___0 I’m a native English speaker and am also fluent in Spanish (I lived abroad) and have taken both Japanese and Chinese (only 1/2 a year of Japanese and 1 year of Chinese), but I found Japanese much easier. The only reason I quit was because of transportation issues (I was in high school). I’m a Freshman in college now, and Chinese is killer hard. Sure, it’s easy at first, but the grammar is ridiculous and after learning around 1,000 characters, I forgot nearly all of them since after a years worth of material, it is ridiculously hard to review past material and then memorize new material. And I agree with everyone about the “non-grammar.” It is very difficult because the grammar isn’t set-in-stone…or sand…or air. :/ I think Mandarin is easier for Cantonese speakers simply because it is so similar. Most of my class is Cantonese, and the rest speak another Asian language. They pick this stuff up like it’s nothing. I can hardly keep up, because the grammar doesn’t make sense to me.
Sure you have to memorize three (including Kanji) alphabets in Japanese…but then it’s over with and you constantly practice those characters so it’s hard to forget.
And Japanese media is sooo much more entertaining xD My boyfriend is Chinese and most of the popular music is cheesy pop music/love songs, the tv shows are dull for the most part, and it’s definitely not encouraging to study in your “funtime.” Japanese language has Video games, anime, manga, cool tv shows/movies, and awesome music (of MANY genres).
Also, people state Japanese has some irregular pronunciations…Chinese seems to be full of them. Each character seems to have a few different pronunciations depending upon the other characters it is used with, and then of course, each tone has it’s own individual character to go along with. You have to memorize pinyin, words (with the tones), the translation, and the character/s…just to learn one word.
I’m starting up on Japanese again.
0___0

]]> By: Nikou http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-111615 Nikou Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:22:53 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-111615 I'm interested in both Japanese and Chinese. But my Japanese studies was quite erratic. I took a year of elective courses before going to Japan but without actually joining formal classes. I was assigned a volunteer teacher that teaches me twice a week. Beyond that, I speak Japanese to my husband (who is by the way not Japanese but is fluent at it.) My Chinese studies has a better foundation. It's my 2nd semester taking Chinese classes in the university for 4 hours a day. I also used to have a conversational tutor and tune in to Chinesepod for fresh lessons twice a week. I think there are certain situations when I can make myself understood more in Japanese than Chinese, because of course that's how I communicate with my husband. Japanese is harder to sound natural and native than Chinese. I still sound like a retard when I speak in Japanese. But my Chinese when I started correctly and someone really have the patience to listen to me, then my mouth and tongue just flows without much effort. I’m interested in both Japanese and Chinese. But my Japanese studies was quite erratic. I took a year of elective courses before going to Japan but without actually joining formal classes. I was assigned a volunteer teacher that teaches me twice a week. Beyond that, I speak Japanese to my husband (who is by the way not Japanese but is fluent at it.)

My Chinese studies has a better foundation. It’s my 2nd semester taking Chinese classes in the university for 4 hours a day. I also used to have a conversational tutor and tune in to Chinesepod for fresh lessons twice a week.

I think there are certain situations when I can make myself understood more in Japanese than Chinese, because of course that’s how I communicate with my husband.

Japanese is harder to sound natural and native than Chinese. I still sound like a retard when I speak in Japanese. But my Chinese when I started correctly and someone really have the patience to listen to me, then my mouth and tongue just flows without much effort.

]]> By: Vivian http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-109841 Vivian Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:47:37 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-109841 Don't you know that Japanese was invented from Chinese and has a much shorter history? Japanese people all kinds of words, phrases from the rest of the world, and made up their language. The reason Chinese is simple to you is that, 1. You are in your first or maybe second of step of learing Chinese. I noticed that you were saying the third tone is sometimes like the second tone. It is wrong,man...I have no word to say. 2.Over five thousand years' intelligence has made Chinese as concise as possible. Don't you think that is a big difference or to say an advantage over all kinds of other languages? Don't even mention English. Of course, you could tell from all the above, I am a Chinese, and I could speak English just like you guys.... so I guess my little right of self-defense didn't bother you too much. If I did, then sorry about it. Don’t you know that Japanese was invented from Chinese and has a much shorter history? Japanese people all kinds of words, phrases from the rest of the world, and made up their language. The reason Chinese is simple to you is that, 1. You are in your first or maybe second of step of learing Chinese. I noticed that you were saying the third tone is sometimes like the second tone. It is wrong,man…I have no word to say. 2.Over five thousand years’ intelligence has made Chinese as concise as possible. Don’t you think that is a big difference or to say an advantage over all kinds of other languages? Don’t even mention English. Of course, you could tell from all the above, I am a Chinese, and I could speak English just like you guys…. so I guess my little right of self-defense didn’t bother you too much. If I did, then sorry about it.

]]> By: hk http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-98131 hk Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:03:41 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-98131 Hi, I am from Hong Kong and would like to clarify one point -- intonation. Mandarin, which is the official language in China, has 4 tones. It is widely spoken in Taiwan too although the accent is a little bit different. Some people (especially from the rural areas) speak the Taiwanese dialect though. Here in Hong Kong, Cantonese is spoken. This dialect has up to 9 tones for each syllable. For example, the sound "dong" has 6 tones in Cantonese with each tone meaning a completely different thing: Dong (tone 1) - 東: East (noun) Dong (tone 2) - 懂: Understand (verb) Dong (tone 3) - 凍: Cold (adjective) Duk (tone 4) - 篤: Poke (verb) Dong (tone 5) - none Dong (tone 6) - none Dong (tone 7) - 動: Move (verb) Duk (tone 8) - 讀: Read (verb) Sharp-eyed readers would have noted that tones 4 and 8 changes the way the syllable ends. Hi, I am from Hong Kong and would like to clarify one point — intonation.

Mandarin, which is the official language in China, has 4 tones. It is widely spoken in Taiwan too although the accent is a little bit different. Some people (especially from the rural areas) speak the Taiwanese dialect though.

Here in Hong Kong, Cantonese is spoken. This dialect has up to 9 tones for each syllable. For example, the sound “dong” has 6 tones in Cantonese with each tone meaning a completely different thing:

Dong (tone 1) – 東: East (noun)
Dong (tone 2) – 懂: Understand (verb)
Dong (tone 3) – 凍: Cold (adjective)
Duk (tone 4) – 篤: Poke (verb)
Dong (tone 5) – none
Dong (tone 6) – none
Dong (tone 7) – 動: Move (verb)
Duk (tone 8) – 讀: Read (verb)

Sharp-eyed readers would have noted that tones 4 and 8 changes the way the syllable ends.

]]> By: Leharry http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-85902 Leharry Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:34:06 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-85902 Well I am Leharry from China and I speak Chinese , English, Cantonese and Japanese. To those who are still undecided as to which (Japanese or Chinese)to learn, I have some points to clarify. I still have sneaking feeling as to the difficuties I felt when I first started my Japanese, well , I picked up Japanese all by myself, with several books, a Panasonic walkman , tapes and many many Japanese movies and animes that I enjoy so much. To be frank, I think Chinese wins hands down over Japanese in many aspects. Many Japanese kanji have irregular pronounciations, while only a few Chinese hanzi have a max of two. Japanese verbs perhaps have conjugations more sophisticated than even French, while Chinese has no conjugation of any kind whatsoever. In both the languages, prefix and suffix are prevalent。 But for these words, Chinese have regular pronounciation while Japanese will confuse you deeply in this wise until you really memorize them. Advice: Imitating native speakers, best if they are broadcasters or anchors, is a must to correct and standardize or perhaps localize your pronounciation. Wish you luck. Invited to my blog: http://lesharry.blogspot.com/ Well
I am Leharry from China and I speak Chinese , English, Cantonese and Japanese.
To those who are still undecided as to which (Japanese or Chinese)to learn, I have some points to clarify.
I still have sneaking feeling as to the difficuties I felt when I first started my Japanese, well , I picked up Japanese all by myself, with several books, a Panasonic walkman , tapes and many many Japanese movies and animes that I enjoy so much.
To be frank, I think Chinese wins hands down over Japanese in many aspects.
Many Japanese kanji have irregular pronounciations, while only a few Chinese hanzi have a max of two.
Japanese verbs perhaps have conjugations more sophisticated than even French, while Chinese has no conjugation of any kind whatsoever.
In both the languages, prefix and suffix are prevalent。 But for these words, Chinese have regular pronounciation while Japanese will confuse you deeply in this wise until you really memorize them.
Advice: Imitating native speakers, best if they are broadcasters or anchors, is a must to correct and standardize or perhaps localize your pronounciation.
Wish you luck.
Invited to my blog: http://lesharry.blogspot.com/

]]> By: carol http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-81725 carol Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:38:12 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-81725 learning chinese, u'll get a little tired, that's why i stopped learning it, but in japanese language u'll need it because of ''kanji''. go ahead and learn both! learning chinese, u’ll get a little tired, that’s why i stopped learning it, but in japanese language u’ll need it because of ”kanji”.
go ahead and learn both!

]]> By: Charlie http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-76690 Charlie Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:34:11 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-76690 Hi everyone, what a great blog this is! I'm from the UK, and I start Japanese at night school in September. I've always had a passion for all things Japanese, I have a Japanese tatoo, I love the culture, the food, anime and import video games, architecture, the way the language sounds when spoken, trying to understnand kanji, artwork, etc. I am visiting next year to. However, after I signed up to the class, I was a little daunted at the comments I read on the net, that Chinese is much easier to learn than Japanese. I've scoured Google for hours to make sure I am making the right choice, but my advice to people who are undecided as to which is easier, is to just follow your heart. I believe, that as I have had a life long obsession with Japan (and recognise a lot of kanji from games and literature) that I WILL be able to do it, even if it may be harder.... But with that interest already there, it will inevitably be easier to learn, as I WANT to learn it. Anyway, thought I would share this as my journey of deciding whether I should swap courses has come to an end after reading this blog. Do which language YOU want to do, irrelivant of which one may be trickier... I believe that it will be easier as there is a genuine passion and will to learn.... Besides, there seems to be a debate as to which one is easier (coming from people who can speak one or both) and I believe that if one was proven to be more easier than the other, then we wouldn't even be debating it. I rally enjoyed reading this blog, and will come back on in 2 months to let you all know how the Japanese is going. Greetings to you all! -Charlie Hi everyone, what a great blog this is! I’m from the UK, and I start Japanese at night school in September.

I’ve always had a passion for all things Japanese, I have a Japanese tatoo, I love the culture, the food, anime and import video games, architecture, the way the language sounds when spoken, trying to understnand kanji, artwork, etc. I am visiting next year to.

However, after I signed up to the class, I was a little daunted at the comments I read on the net, that Chinese is much easier to learn than Japanese.

I’ve scoured Google for hours to make sure I am making the right choice, but my advice to people who are undecided as to which is easier, is to just follow your heart.

I believe, that as I have had a life long obsession with Japan (and recognise a lot of kanji from games and literature) that I WILL be able to do it, even if it may be harder…. But with that interest already there, it will inevitably be easier to learn, as I WANT to learn it.

Anyway, thought I would share this as my journey of deciding whether I should swap courses has come to an end after reading this blog. Do which language YOU want to do, irrelivant of which one may be trickier… I believe that it will be easier as there is a genuine passion and will to learn…. Besides, there seems to be a debate as to which one is easier (coming from people who can speak one or both) and I believe that if one was proven to be more easier than the other, then we wouldn’t even be debating it.

I rally enjoyed reading this blog, and will come back on in 2 months to let you all know how the Japanese is going.

Greetings to you all!
-Charlie

]]> By: hutou http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/comment-page-2/#comment-75384 hutou Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:00:25 +0000 http://nihongo.3yen.com/2006-07-20/which-is-harder-japanese-or-chinese/#comment-75384 汉语是全世界最先进的语言。 汉语是全世界最先进的语言。

]]>