Unlocking the Secrets of Chinese Characters

Did you know that 1 in every 5 people in the world speaks Chinese? It’s one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet, and it comes in many forms.

The official language of China, Taiwan, and Singapore is Mandarin Chinese, but that’s just one part of the story. Other widely spoken Chinese languages include Wu, Cantonese, and Min. In fact, there are over 3,000 Chinese dialects spoken across different regions—yet all are written using the same writing system.

The Writing System: A Language of Symbols

Chinese writing is based on characters rather than an alphabet. These characters were originally inspired by hieroglyphic-like pictures, and over time they became more stylized and abstract.

Today, there are about 20,000 Chinese characters, with roughly half used regularly. Unlike English, where words are formed with letters, Chinese words often combine 2 to 3 characters. This creates a rich and complex language with over 100,000 words in total.

Here’s a fun activity: Chinese artists have creatively arranged characters to resemble the 26 letters of the English alphabet, with the Chinese word next to each one. It’s a beautiful way to appreciate how flexible and artistic this ancient writing system can be.

Chinese Influence on Other Asian Languages

The Chinese language has also shaped other languages throughout Asia. You can see its influence in:

• Korean – which once used Chinese characters (hanja) alongside Hangul
• Japanese – where Chinese kanji is still used today in writing
• Vietnamese – which historically used a writing system based on Chinese characters

These connections make Chinese not only one of the most spoken languages in the world but also one of the most influential.

A Fun Way for Kids to Explore Chinese

Learning to read Chinese characters can be exciting and engaging, especially for kids. With Dinolingo, children can explore the language through interactive games, flashcards, songs, worksheets, and videos that teach Chinese characters in fun and age-appropriate ways.

Dinolingo supports children ages 2–14 and offers different learning paths for pre-readers, elementary, and middle school learners. It’s available on all major platforms (web, iOS, Android), includes offline materials, and even gives parents tools to track progress and celebrate milestones.

Whether your child is just starting or looking to strengthen their reading skills in Chinese, Dinolingo makes the journey both effective and enjoyable.