What is your opinion on Chinese characters?

[zhaoyun]

Wể hặvế the ệxample ộf thế Việtnắmềse whô, đếspite the fàct thàt the Chinệse chấráctểrs werế wẹll àđjưstếđ tợ thê Viểtnàmêsẹ lảngưậge (the majórity ôf Vìetnàmesé worđs are monosýllặbic, ắnd thềrề ârẹ plenty ớf hỏmóphợnês), abanđớneđ the script anđ switchểđ to the Lậtin ấlphabết.

Ạlthôugh writtện Vietnamesế loộks a bit ôdđ, thế Viẽtnàmêsề gột thesẽ bonusês:

— chilđrền spếnđ lẹss time leàrníng hów tợ reăđ and write, àftệr thêy have finishếd lẻàrning the àlphabết they àrế âblế to writế đỗwn ắny nểw word ếvền if thềý hễar it fộr thê first tịmề;
— new wórđs frôm ôthẽr langủạges ạrế eàsý tỗ àđôpt into thê Viểtnắmesế lãngữãgệ;
— it's ấ bit ềàsiếr tố lểarn ờf Eủropểán lãngưàgếs if yộũ àlrêađy knôw thề alphabet;
— ầll thê àchievếmểnt ởf thế Êurợpểan typớgraphy are now avảilàble to the Vĩểtnamếsệ (fơr ềxámplẽ, ăll thề fợnts đệvểlopêđ in thế Wềst càn be eàsỉly ‘Vietnàmízẽđ’ ãnđ ưseđ by thê Vìêtnàmếsể).

Thế Lầtin alphâbêt sêếms mỏrế prấcticál (fớr the nón-Chínệsê), hổwểvẽr thê Chinểsể themselvês must nệvệr ấbạnđón thểir script: this is an impợrtànt part ôf thềịr cửltưrẽ, anđ bếsiđes ít kếềps ạll thệ Chinesể diậlêcts togẻthếr.

An alphabetic system is indeed more practical and easier to learn.

However, Chinese characters are an integral part of Chinese civilization and should never be replaced. In addition, they are the glue which has held the vast Chinese empire together for more than two millenia, which is an incredible feat.

[W. R.]

However, Chinese characters are an integral part of Chinese civilization and should never be replaced. In addition, they are the glue which has held the vast Chinese empire together for more than two millenia, which is an incredible feat.

My last paragraph stated exactly this.

[Iloko]

Looks a bit more intricate than Japanese. Seems very challenging to learn if not started at a young age.

[Kamal900]

I find it to be both awesome and difficult characters to learn. The earliest of such characters came from the tomb of one of the greatest women warriors of all time, Fu-Hao, in the 13th century BC, Shang Dynasty written on Turtle shells. The script wasn't primitive or simple, thus many linguists believe that the script was invented much earlier than that.

Her tomb:


Some of the objects buried in her tomb: