Chineasy | Shaolan Hsueh | Talks at Google
Talks at Google・13 minutes read
ShaoLan Hsueh created Chineasy, simplifying Chinese characters using illustrations, stemming from her family background in art and striving to bridge analytical and creative thinking, breaking down characters, identifying patterns, and simplifying learning. Chineasy utilizes a building block system for quick understanding, with examples like combining characters for words and adapting to modern concepts, with the book structured by subjects challenging traditional organization of characters, aiming to provide a deep understanding of Chinese culture and mentality through language.
Insights
- ShaoLan Hsueh developed Chineasy as a simplified system for learning Chinese characters, drawing on her artistic background to create a bridge between analytical and creative thinking.
- Chineasy breaks down complex characters into visual building blocks, enabling quick understanding and application of Chinese characters, while also adapting to modern concepts and abstract ideas, making it a versatile and practical tool for language learners.
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Recent questions
What inspired the creation of Chineasy?
Family background in art and teaching children Chinese.
How did Chineasy evolve from its initial concept?
From napkin drawings to teaching sessions and a TED talk.
What are some examples of Chineasy's word formations?
"Person" and "work" for "artificial," "woman" and "work" for "female worker."
How does Chineasy approach abstract concepts in Chinese characters?
Representing "yourself" by pointing at oneself and "how many" with a question mark.
How does Chineasy challenge traditional methods of organizing Chinese characters?
By structuring the book differently and grouping characters by subjects.
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Summary
00:00
"Simplifying Chinese characters with Chineasy method"
- ShaoLan Hsueh introduces Chineasy, a system to simplify Chinese characters, using illustrations and animations.
- Chineasy stemmed from ShaoLan's family background in art, leading her to bridge the gap between analytical and creative thinking.
- ShaoLan's struggle to teach her British-born children Chinese sparked the idea for Chineasy.
- ShaoLan broke down thousands of characters, identified patterns, and simplified the learning process.
- Chineasy began with napkin drawings, evolved into teaching sessions, and gained popularity after a TED talk.
- Chineasy offers a building block system to quickly understand Chinese characters, akin to a Chinese alphabet.
- Examples include combining characters to form words like "person" and "work" for "artificial," and "woman" and "work" for "female worker."
- Chineasy's design process involves multiple iterations and feedback to ensure universal understanding without cultural references.
- The system extends to abstract concepts like "yourself" represented by pointing at oneself and "how many" depicted by a question mark.
- Modern words like "internet" are broken down into components like "net" and "friend," showcasing the system's adaptability and practicality.
16:07
Unconventional Chinese Character Organization and Cultural Insights
- The book discussed in the text is structured differently, grouped by subjects, challenging the traditional way Chinese characters are organized, which were historically created randomly over thousands of years by millions of people.
- Chapter 1 of the book teaches numbers 1 to 10 in Chinese, highlighting the significance of each number, such as number four being considered unlucky due to its pronunciation resembling "death," leading to the omission of the fourth floor in buildings in certain regions.
- Chapter 2 delves into Chinese philosophy, discussing the five elements, yin and yang, and their influence on daily life, including descriptions of people, animals, nature, health, transportation, and travel, ultimately aiming to provide a deep understanding of Chinese culture and mentality through language.
