How to start learning Chinese Character Easily
Chinese is one of the most difficult language in the world. But at least we can make the entry interesting and easy.
- Have a realistic study plan and stick to your plan. If you aim to write about 300 characters within a year, you need know how to write as least 5-6 characters a week.
- Do not learn one character, but all related character together will help you improving efficiency and effectiveness of learning as well as avoid mistakes and confusion in future. When start to write 天(sky), learn 夫 (people), and 大 (big)as well。
- Chinese characters are developed from pictograph,therefore by knowing the meaning will help you easily remember the character. Take “女 ” which means woman as an example. In Han Dynasty, woman usually stand with eyes looking down while serviced her masters. In Tang and Song Dynasty woman were more likely knee on floor, especially when playing music instrument and serving tea table. Japan started to introduce Chinese manners into Japan since Tang Dynasty. In modern age, Chinese women accept education as men and become more independently. The character “女” is like a woman is walking confidently and quickly. (Picture source: http://www.dianliwenmi.com/postimg_1594354.html)

- Patrice. The purpose of learning of a new language is that you eventually can use that language. The best way to practice is not repeat characters only, but sentences or even articles. You will find one character will have more than one tones and meanings. Even the same words in different sentence would be totally differently. The more you practice in sentence, the easier to master Chinese.
At last, I would like introduce an interesting book about Chinese characters. Characters in the book can be traced back to 3000 years ago and very enjoyable to read. The book is called 《汉字中国》。
Why Chinese become the most spoken language –Part 1
汉字五千年 第一集
在甲骨文被发现之前,汉字的童年和这片土地上的久远的王朝一样被彻底的掩埋在厚厚的黄土下。 据传说,就在在巴比塔被发现的1899年,清代末年的北京已是风雨飘摇。这一年的秋天国子监祭酒王懿荣得了痢疾,便到北京宣武门外的达仁堂去买中药。在煎药的过程中,突然,其中的一味药材 “龙骨” 吸引了他的目光。不久山东一位名叫范维卿的古董商,从河南安阳收求了一些 “龙骨” 送到了王懿荣的家里,请老乡帮忙看看。此后,6文钱一斤的“龙骨”骤然,身价百倍。王懿荣买下这些甲骨后,找来自己的好友 《老残游记》的做着刘鄂共同研究。很快他们从这些甲骨文上,读出了中国上古社会许多被淹没的秘密。要破解古代文字离不开两个条件,一个是参照。比如贝希斯顿铭文。此文由三种语言写成,其中有一种是当时使用的古希腊语,也叫古波斯语。有这个参照,并可解读贝希斯顿铭文。第二个是文化的延续性。后来的文字可以验证以前的文字。 因为缺少文字材料的佐证,古印度的哈拉本文化是能给人们留下残缺的印象。
为什么欧洲人破解楔形文字和埃及的象形字都是无数专家耗费了数百年的光阴才真相大白。而中国人破解甲骨文只有一两个人仅仅在几天的时间内就初见成效呢?

因为中国的文化,因为汉字而得以很好的传承。也因为汉字,可以窥探历史到三千三百年前。
遥不可及的是历史,但是中国因为有了朝夕相伴的汉字,所以不论如何回溯,往前,再往前,依然能保持近在眼前般的鲜活。仓颉字,竹简书,禹夏彩陶,殷墟甲骨,这些象形,会意,形声,假借的古老符号,为中华文明保存的火种,使历史得以记载,学术得以传承。 今天汉字时世界上使用人数最多的文字。今兮左兮,那些在岁月的长河中,运用而生的原生古文字,为什么只有汉字能够一帆数千载?
美国历史学家斯达夫里阿诺斯(L. S. Stavrianos)打过一个比方:一个生活在公元一世纪,汉朝的人,如果在公元八世纪复活,他一定会感到非常舒服自在。他会发觉当时的唐朝和过去的汉朝大致相同。他会注意到两朝名族相同,语言相通,儒家学说相同,祖先崇拜相同,以及帝国行政管理相同等等。如果公元一世纪的罗马人在公元16世纪复活,他一定会为在该地区生活的日耳曼名族,站新奇特的生活方式大吃一惊。语言在变,信仰在变,连谋生手段都在变。这个一而不变的历史就是汉字和它所承载的华夏文明的特性所在。