China and Japan are Two major economies in the world. One is spread over a large area, and the other is an island.
However, there is one thing that binds both countries, and it is the SCRIPT.
Japan is known for making significant strides in the latest technology, whereas China is known for its economic progress.
There are currently more than 1.2 billion Chinese and Japanese speakers worldwide.
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If you are interested in learning Chinese or Japanese, you may have heard many similarities in their script.
Understanding the similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese languages will be helpful if you are dealing with them for educational or professional purposes.
It is no secret that Japanese and Chinese share some similarities but also major differences between their languages.
In this guide, we have shared everything that you need to know if Chinese and Japanese share the same script.
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Are Japanese And Chinese Script The Same?
Japanese and Chinese share a common writing system as Japan adopted Chinese characters in the 3rd century due to cultural exchange between the two countries.
The Japanese writing system based on Chinese characters is called Kanji.
However, despite the similarities, the two languages are quite distinct from each other, with complex grammar, tones, and usage.
The Japanese and Chinese share many similar characteristics. The Japanese have also adopted some Chinese loanwords.
Chinese is a tonal language where different tones can change a single word’s meaning drastically.
Comparatively, Japanese is also a tonal language but has only two tones.
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Differences Between Chinese And Japanese Written Language:
Here are some major differences between the Japanese and Chinese languages:
Script
Chinese and Japanese languages share multiple characters and they are known as the Hanzi in Chinese, and Kanji in Japanese.
Japan had assimilated China’s writing system through cultural intermingling but molded it to fit into their culture.
Later, they formed their version. Japanese also use the Katakana and Hiragana writing system.
Grammar
Compared to Chinese grammar, learners will find Japanese grammar more complex.
In Chinese, verbs are not conjugated, whereas, in Japanese verbs have conjugations and particles.
The Chinese and Japanese languages did not have nouns or adjectives to match the gender, they also do not have plural forms
Chinese is an SVO (Subject+Verb+Object) language quite similar to English which follows the same structure for sentences, Japanese, on the other hand, is an SOV (Subject+Object+Verb) language. They add the object before the verb.
Tonal Languages
Chinese and Japanese are tonal languages as the inflection of the tone gives different meanings to the word.
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Chinese Mandarin has four, whereas Chinese Cantonese has six and sometimes nine.
Japanese, on the other hand, uses two levels of tones which are high and low.
Name Order
In China, when people call anyone, they will first say their last name and then the first. Eg: Summer. Chen will be called as Chen Summer.
In Japan too they follow the same practice of taking the last name first.
Honorifics
Japanese and Chinese are known to give the utmost importance to honorifics.
They give importance to politeness and social hierarchy and People in both countries are called by their designation rather than their name.
In Japanese Keigo is the polite form of speech. The three categories of Keigo include the honorific, humble, and polite forms.
The Chinese language also features politeness but it is not as detailed as the Japanese language.
If you are considering learning Japanese or Chinese language then remember it will not be an easy process. It could be tough as both are considered quite hard to master.
It can be a challenging process but do not lose heart as with consistency, hard work, and persistence you can learn Chinese or Japanese and it will be an added asset to your profile as China and Japan are currently important players in the global economy.
Choosing which language to learn Chinese or Japanese depends on your personal and professional choices.
