Chinese

Introduction

There are two main types of Chinese characters that are used where Chinese is spoken: Simplified and Traditional. Click here for a very comprehensive overview of Simplified and Traditional Characters).

Simplified

Simplified characters are the main characters used in Mainland China.
The decision to simplify traditional characters was made around the mid-20th Century, in part to try and modernise China.

There are various ways traditional characters were simplified:

Replacing parts of the traditional character with simpler symbols.
Keeping the key component of the characters, known as "radicals", and deleting the rest of the character.
Removing the key component, "radical", and adapting the remaining part.
An entire substitution of the original traditional character.

Traditional

Traditional characters precede Simplified characters.
They are the main character used in Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong.
They can often be recognised because they appear a lot more complex than simplified characters, they look "busier".