There are some 20,000 characters in contemporary written Chinese. Knowing about 4,000 is considered educated, while the threshold for standard literacy is 2,000. “Basic” (or just-getting-by) literacy ...

“Yi, er, san . . .” A Chinese language student counts each stroke while writing the Chinese character for “big”, 大. This seems like a simple process, but new evidence suggests that studying Chinese ...

According to the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service Institute, Chinese is a Class III language—the most difficult to master—and requires 2,200 hours of rigorous study to gain general ...

When 20-year-old Suon Chiva was choosing a language to complement his native Khmer, it didn’t take him long to decide. He saw where the products in his local markets were made and where the new ...

Editorial Note: Forbes Advisor may earn a commission on sales made from partner links on this page, but that doesn't affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Learning a new language requires ...

Speak excellent Chinese with accurate pronunciation and tones, OK if in slightly lower than natural speed. Understand basic grammar rules. Be able to engage in communications on topics taught in the ...

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Katharine Carruthers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations ...