Chinese Studies

At what age should you start learning Chinese?

 

Nowadays, more and more parents are realizing the importance of the Chinese language for their children's future. Due to the increasing economic importance and the ever closer economic ties with China, it can be assumed that young adults have better job prospects through Chinese skills. 

 

Learning Chinese not only develops the language, but also the understanding of Chinese culture at the same time.

Many parents ask themselves the question when should my child start learning Chinese.

Here I will show the four advantages of learning Chinese at an early age.

 

1. Chinese characters represent the words figuratively. Four-year-old children understand the world more and more. Their senses help with this. Seeing objects and images that are assigned to thoughts plays an important role during this time. The corresponding ability to learn, linking image and thought is very pronounced. During this time, children can learn Chinese characters very quickly.

 

2. In the Chinese language, every syllable already has a meaning. Children still find it easy to get used to it. Letters are not required. 

 

3. The meaning of syllables changes depending on the tone in which they are pronounced. Adults find it difficult to focus on the tone form of each individual syllable, because in Western languages the tone form is not placed on individual syllables.  Learning the correct pronunciation of the clay forms is also still easy for children, as their senses are still completely open to new things.  Children are still in the process of finding their language, can repeat sounds very well and only develop their pitch, their pronunciation is not yet consolidated. The otherness of Chinese does not meet with a solid understanding of the language, but with openness, which enables very good learning progress or creates openness for future learning of different languages.

 

4. Writing Chinese characters is very different from writing German words. For the Chinese, writing is more than just putting language on paper. Tradition, beauty, concentration and relaxation come together in writing. Writing really beautifully is an art and requires years of practice. As soon as the children in China can hold a pencil, they start drawing signs, after ten years they have reached a good level.  

 

Summary:

You should start learning Chinese as early as possible. Due to the large differences between German and Chinese, people who have broadened their perception by learning German and Chinese at a young age find it easy to master other languages to a higher degree.

My many years of experience in teaching children is that children learn Chinese very quickly through play and with a lot of fun.