Why You Still Forget Chinese Characters | 为什么学了很多汉字，还记不住？ | Chinese Daily Podcast

Hello everyone, welcome to Daily Chinese. I'm Li Ming. Hello everyone, I'm Wang Yu. It's great to see you all again. Wang Yu, do you still remember our last episode of the show? The topic we're discussing is why, despite studying for a long time, you still can't speak Chinese. Of course I remember. After that episode, we received messages from many friends. Everyone really liked that topic and shared many of their own stories. I'm truly happy to see everyone's messages. Yes, seeing everyone's progress and challenges, I feel our work is truly meaningful. Today, I'd like to specially talk about a comment. This comment comes from one of our listeners, whose name is Yu Hang. Yu Hang, I remember his message. I think his question is particularly good, representing many friends who are diligently studying Chinese. You're right, I'll read his message aloud. Hello everyone, I'm Yu Hang, an international student. I've been studying Chinese for one and a half years. I learn new Chinese characters every day, I recognize them, but I can't use them. But when I need it, I just can't remember it. What should I do? I fully understand this issue. I know it, but can't use it; I can't recall it when I need it. This is truly the voice of countless learners. Don't you also have this feeling? You see a Chinese character, you know its meaning, and you also know its pronunciation. But if you try to write it yourself, or use it to say a sentence, you just, ah, forget. Absolutely correct. So, Yu Hang, and all friends who have the same issue as Yu Hang, Today's program is specially prepared for you. We should have a discussion about why we always forget Chinese characters and what we should do about it. Great, let's get started. Li Ming, I think before we start looking for solutions, First of all, we must tell Yu Hang and his friends something. That is, forgetting Chinese characters is really, really normal. I fully agree. First of all, please don't ever think, "Oh no, am I too stupid?" Or, am I just not suited for learning Chinese? Not at all, it has nothing to do with being smart or not. This is an inevitable path in the learning process. Yes, think about it—how many Chinese characters are there? Even just the commonly used ones number in the thousands. They look so similar, for example,几, 以, 四. These three characters are such that many Chinese people need to stare at them for several seconds to tell them apart. Forgetting or misremembering is completely normal. You're right, and there's a very crucial word in Yu Hang's message. He said he knows it, but doesn't know how to use it—this actually involves two different kinds of memory. Seeing a character and being able to state its meaning is called passive memory or recognition memory. Passive memory, this term is a bit difficult. We can put it more simply. Just like seeing a person on the street, You know, uh, I recognize this person; he seems to be my neighbor. That's recognition. Oh, I see. But if you were to draw this neighbor's appearance on paper, Or telling you the neighbor's name and expecting you to recall his face might be a bit difficult. This requires active memorization, that is, retrieving memories. One needs this more difficult active memory just to use, and especially to write, a single Chinese character. Oh, I see. So when we study Chinese characters, we often just practice recognizing them. We see it and know, oh, this is the "ping" from "apple." But we didn't practice remembering it. So when we need to write the word "apple," our brain can't find it. That's exactly it. I think our brain is like a huge room, The new Chinese characters we learn every day are like a series of new things, We put them all into this room. Yes, this analogy is excellent. On the first day, you put ten Chinese characters in; the room was very clean, and you easily found them. A month later, after you put in three hundred Chinese characters, the room began to get a bit messy. After one and a half years, just like fishing, perhaps two or three thousand Chinese characters have already been put in. This room is filled with stuff. Wow, that must have been really messy. So when you need a Chinese character, I walk into this room, You know it's inside, but you can't find where it is. There's too much stuff, and it's all so messy. So our issue is not that we haven't studied, It's not that the character isn't in our minds, but that our room needs tidying. Wow, this metaphor is really excellent. So what we're going to do today is help everyone organize this memory room, right? Let our Chinese characters, our things, be placed where they belong. So we can find it immediately whenever we need it. Yes, then how should we organize it? Our approaches might be a bit different. I'd like to hear yours first. Sure, but I think your approach might be more scientific. You're always so organized; why don't you go first? First, let me teach you how to build some cabinets for the room and organize things. Well, then I'll go ahead and share my thoughts. Simply put, my approach is Don't treat each Chinese character as a completely new and independent entity. We must learn to analyze Chinese characters by breaking them down. What does "拆開看" mean? You see, many Chinese characters are actually composed of several smaller components. We call these small components "components" or "radicals." They are like LEGO bricks, You've met B-pillow's blocks, You can use them to build all kinds of new things. Hmm, I like this one. Thinking of Chinese characters using building blocks makes them seem less intimidating. Do you have any examples? Of course, let's look at the simplest character: 人. A person walking, very simple, right? Yes, indeed. Alright, now let's look at the character for "rest" — "休". What is to the left of Hugh? It is a person. Yes, what about the right side? It's wood, a tree. Imagine a scene: a person leaning beneath a tree. What is he doing? He's resting, oh, I see. So Xiu is just resting under a tree—how interesting. That's it; when you memorize the character for "xiu" in this way, You're not recording a brand new, complex one, Something composed of six strokes You're recounting a story, a man and a tree, Isn't it much simpler now? And you will never forget. Yeah, remember it this way, I will never forget how Xiu wrote it for the rest of my life. This is more effective than when I was a kid writing "rest" a hundred times on paper. Yes, because you understood his logic, his story. Let's look at another example: the three-dot water radical, "water." What does this radical usually relate to? Yes, it's related to water, for example, rivers. That's great. What else? We'll do the laundry. The "sweat" in "sweating" and the "soup" in "drinking soup" both have the three-dot water radical. So, the next time you see an unfamiliar character, But it has three dots of water. You can guess that its meaning might be related to water. That is classification. Put everything related to water into a cabinet called "Water." This method is excellent. It transforms learning Chinese characters from rote memorization, It has become an interesting riddle game. Moreover, there are profound cultural reasons behind this. The earliest Chinese characters were mostly drawings. We call them pictographs. For example, a mountain—it looks just like a mountain. Water flows like a moving river, A tree is like a tree. Yeah, I know that. I think hieroglyphs are one of the most beautiful things in Chinese culture. Therefore, my first suggestion is, When you learn a new Chinese character, Take a minute. Look at what blocks it is made of. Ask your teacher or look it up online, What does each part mean? When you connect these blocks with the little stories behind them, You're just organizing your memory room, You're not just throwing things around recklessly, You're putting them into the appropriate cabinet. Let me summarize Li Ming's approach. Learning Chinese characters must proceed from the inside out. First, understand its structure, its components, Understand it like playing with building blocks, right? That's a great summary; that's exactly my approach. And you, Wang Yu? I know you don't like this kind of analysis, You prefer to start from life and feelings. What is your approach? You're right, my approach might be exactly the opposite of yours. I am from outside to inside. I think it's important to understand the structure and story behind recognizing a Chinese character. But if one merely knows that it has never been used, It will still die within your mind. Oh, how should I put it? I would like to share a personal experience of mine first, When I was a child, I learned to write characters. The teacher always makes us write a new character twenty or thirty times. I remember once we had to learn how to write the character for "love." Love, the word "love," has quite a few strokes in its character. Yeah, that afternoon I wrote an entire page full of love in my notebook. I wrote, wrote, wrote until the end, I look at this character and find it strangely odd. I don't seem to recognize it anymore. I've felt that way too. This is called semantic saturation. It's just that you've looked at a single character too many times in a short period of time. The brain temporarily cannot process its meaning. Yeah, and guess what? The next day, the teacher asked us to dictation the word "love." I still can't write it. I felt especially sad at that time, I feel like I'm too stupid. I wrote it so many times yesterday. I completely understand this feeling. It's extremely frustrating. Then how did you remember it later? Later, my mother found out. She didn't make me write it twenty more times, She took out a piece of paper, A heart was drawn above. Then say to me, You see, in the middle of "love" there is a heart character. Love requires用心. Do you love your mother? I said, I love Mom. She said, "Then let's write a sentence together." I love my mother. Is she a good mother? Yes, when I write down When I say the words "I love my mother," I suddenly feel, The word "love" is different now. It is no longer that strange one on paper, Something with many strokes It and me, and my mother, It has become emotionally connected to me. Since that day onwards, I have never forgotten it again. How do you write the character "Ai"? This is a very good story. So your approach is, You must use this Chinese character. Relate it to your own life. Absolutely correct. My approach is simply, Don't let Chinese characters be just single characters, Make it a part of your life. I'm giving astronaut and friends some very simple ones, But very useful advice. Let's listen. First, starting today, Write only one sentence every day, Write using the Chinese characters you learned today. For example, today you learned the word "happy." Write one sentence before going to sleep that night. I am very happy today. Because I drank a very delicious coffee. This sentence doesn't need to be complicated. It only needs to concern yourself. This method is excellent. Because it not only practices Chinese characters, They also practiced grammar and sentences. Second, in the room where you are staying, Stick on many small sticky notes. Paste a piece of paper on your desk, Write on the table. Stick a note saying "chair" on your chair. The computer, bed, and windows are all covered. That way, you will see these Chinese characters many times every day. And it's with real things. This method is particularly useful for learning nouns. Third, and most importantly, When you learn a new word, For example, the verb "eat" or an adjective describing something as delicious Don't just eat for the sake of eating. You must immediately think of something you like to eat in your mind. Then say to yourself, I like to eat apples. Apples are very delicious. You've associated this Chinese character with a feeling you like. When you do this, This Chinese character has come to life. I see. So my approach is to focus on what the Chinese characters are. Its internal structure, And your approach is to focus on what Chinese characters do. Its applications in daily life. Yes. I think these two methods need to be combined. Let's first use your method, Understanding a Chinese character like building with blocks Then immediately use my method, Say a sentence using this character. Or stick it on the wall, Thus, we have tidied up the room of memory, And often goes to use things in the room. You're right, understanding and application. Just like a person's two legs, We need to walk together. One can travel both fast and far with talent. Alright, We discussed how to learn Chinese characters. How do you put things into the room of our memory, But there is still one very important step. I know what you're going to say. Is it a review, right? Yes. If we don't review, Our brain automatically cleans this room, Throw away whatever it considers unimportant. How do you determine what is important versus unimportant? It's very simple. The ones you often use, the ones you often look at, The brain perceives this as very important. I'm keeping it. You've learned once, Never look again, The brain thinks this might be useless, And then I gradually forgot. Therefore, We must go back frequently. Let's take a look at the Chinese characters we've learned, Tell our brain, Hey, This is very important. Don't throw it away. However, Reviewing does not equal taking out a notebook. Write each character 20 times again. That would be too boring. The effect is also not good. Reviewing can also be fun. Do you have any good ideas? For example, There are now many smartphone apps, They will help you review as if playing a game. They will be based on your memory situation, Automatically schedule a review plan, You forgot this character today, You will see more of it tomorrow and the day after. Oh, I know this app is very convenient to use. Do you want more? There is another method, It's reading. Don't be afraid to read, Find some very, very simple Chinese storybooks. Something suitable for Chinese children to watch There are pictures. Only a few characters. You don't need to understand every single character. You only need to be in the story, Once again Once again seeing those characters you've learned. This suggestion is excellent. Review in the story, Chinese characters are never lonely. They work together. Living Moreover, Reading the story itself is also very interesting. Finally, I want to say to Yuhang, You've already studied for one and a half years. I learn new Chinese characters every day. This shows how hard you've been working. Very persevering, You've done exceptionally well. Yes, indeed. Please never be disappointed in yourself. Learning a language is not a straight upward path. It's more like picking up tombstones while walking along. Today you picked up five. I'm so happy, When walking tomorrow, I might have accidentally dropped one. It's okay, Just pick it up again. The most important thing is to keep moving forward. Enjoy the process. Do not pursue, Never forget. What we need to do is, Establish a good learning and review system, Forgot it, We'll quickly retrieve it again using this system. Hmm, I hope we can talk about these things today, It might be of some help to astronauts and everyone else. Alright, Today we talked a lot about the topic of how to remember Chinese characters. It's about time. Let me give a brief summary. To avoid always forgetting Chinese characters, We can try doing several important things. Hmm, Everyone, please listen carefully. First, Understand the structure of Chinese characters. When learning Chinese characters, It's not just about how it looks, Think about its components. What is its radical? What kind of stories do they have? Learn like building with blocks, Rather than rote memorization. Second, You must use it in your daily life. Learned a new Chinese character, Just use it to say a sentence. Write a sentence, and your own life, connect your emotions Let Chinese characters have their place in your life. Third, Find an interesting one, The method that suits you best, Review frequently. Whether through the app, Or just read a simple story, You must often meet with these Chinese character friends. Tell your brain, They are important. Hmm, Li Ming summarized it so well, Very clear and well-organized. If you'd like to see the complete transcript of today's conversation, You can check out our blog. This way, you can review and study more conveniently. Our address is Yes. Welcome everyone to visit our blog. By the way, After listening to today's program, We also especially would like to hear your story. Is there a Chinese character that is your old friend? But you always write it wrong. Always forget. Or, Do you have any special methods for remembering Chinese characters? Please leave us a message below, Share it with us. We look forward to seeing your comments. Alright, That's all for this episode. Thank you all for listening. We are Daily Chinese. See you next time. Goodbye.