What is it about?
Learning Chinese characters poses difficulties for learners. Semantic radicals are the meaningful parts that comprise Chinese characters. For second language learners, memorizing semantic radicals can aid in acquiring Chinese characters. This study examines the efficacy of visual instructions for beginners to remember semantic radicals.
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Photo by Quan Jing on Unsplash
Why is it important?
We conducted a preliminary study and three other studies. We found the use of color-coded illustrations helps learners remember semantic radicals. This could be seen in the significantly increased accuracy of the responses in memory tests. These findings are an important contribution to research on visual instructions and on the memorization of semantic radicals by beginners.
Perspectives
This study demonstrates the logic of building Chinese characters. By visually depicting how components combine to convey significance, the goal is to improve readers’ grasp and retention of the logographic system. Providing glimpses into how meaning is embedded within a structure may offer new new lens on associated Chinese philosophical and conceptual traditions. Fundamentally, unveiling the inherent logical organization of characters through visualization techniques aims to foster cross-cultural bridges built on mutual learning.
Tian Tian
Zhengzhou University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The effectiveness of visual instructions in the memorization of Chinese Semantic Radicals by Beginners, Information Design Journal, November 2023, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/idj.21010.tia.
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