Lyrebird Language Centre specialises in teaching Japanese and Chinese in Brisbane and Online. Many students ask us which language is more difficult to learn. Japanese or Chinese?
If you ask Google, you will find more than 215 million answers. Japanese and Chinese, which one is more difficult to learn? I will compare these two languages below so you can make your own judgement.
Tonality
Japanese is like English, there are no tong marks for different tongs. People will understand you even if your tone is different. Japanese is easier to pronounce but very flat.
Chinese has four tones (1, 2, 3, and 4 tong marks), plus a neutral tong (without a tone mark). People will misunderstand you if your tone is wrong. Chinese is more difficult to pronounce but is more melodic.
The winner is Japanese
Grammar
Japanese basic sentence structure is Subject+object+Verb, which is different from English.
Japanese also have many rules about politeness. The sentences differ based on whom you talk to, the boss, the staff or the colleague. Females and males also speak differently.
Chinese basic sentence structure is Subject+Verb+Object, which is the same as English.
Chinese grammar is very simple, even simpler than English. You just put words in order, like build a Lego game.
The winner is Chinese
Listening:
Though Japanese tonality is easier, even if you know the vocabulary, its complex grammar makes it hard to understand the sentence.
Chinese can be harder to tell the difference in the tones, but the sentence structure is simpler and more logical.
Both languages have different dialects. However, if you learn Mandarin (based on the Beijing dialect) and standard Japanese (based on the Tokyo dialect), you can understand when people don’t speak their dialect. They only speak a dialect with people who speak the same dialect.
Japanese is easier at the beginner level, and Chinese is easier at the intermediate level.
Speaking:
Since Japanese is easier to pronounce, it is also easier to speak simple Japanese sentences. However, due to the complex grammar, it is not easy to speak perfectly. Japanese is getting harder when you advance.
Chinese is more difficult at the beginner level due to the complexity of the tones. However, once you master tones, it is easier to speak the sentence thanks to its simpler grammar.
Japanese is easier at the beginner level, and Chinese is easier at the intermediate level.
Reading:
The Japanese language has a very complex writing system. There are at least three writings: Hiragana (ひらがな) , Katakana (カタカナ) and Kanji (漢字). Hiragana and Katakana are easier for Western learners, but Kanji is very difficult not only for foreigners but also for native speakers. Many Japanese have difficulties reading and writing Kanji.
On the other hand, the Chinese language writing system is very simple. The only one you need to remember is Hanzi (Chinese character). Pinyin (Alphabet) is only used for pronunciation. All the writings are using Hanzi. The official Mandarin now use simplified Hanzi in China, Singapore and Malaysia, but traditional Hanzi is still used in Hong Kong and Taiwan and in some overseas Chinese media.
Japanese Kanji is borrowed from Chinese Hanzi. For more information about Japanese Kanji and Chinese Hanzi, please read our blog: The difference between Chinese and Japanese Characters (languagetutor.com.au).
Japanese is easier to read but harder to understand well;
Chinese is harder for the first 150 Chinese characters and easier after you master 500 Chinese characters.
Writing:
Writing is similar to reading.
Japanese is easier to write after you memorised the Hiragana and Katakana. You don’t need to write Kanji if you don’t know how to write. However, as Japanese grammar is more complicated, it is much harder to write a good Japanese article.
Chinese characters are more difficult to write, but with the smartphone and improved Chinese typing system, it is much easier to type Chinese characters using Pinyin if you can read. Thanks to the simplicity of Chinese grammar, you can type Chinese articles much easier after you master 500 Chinese characters.
Japanese is easier at the beginner level, and Chinese is easier at the intermediate level.
Conclusion-Japanese or Chinese:
From the above, it is clear that Japanese is easier to learn at the beginning but harder to learn professionally.
On the other hand, Chinese is harder to learn at the beginning, but it is easier to advance after you master tones and over 150 Chinese characters.
This can be proved by the hours you need to reach the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) and HSK (Chinese Language Proficiency Test).
To pass the first level of JLPT, JLPT N5, you need about 350-400 hours if you can read Kanji or 350-600 hours if you can’t read Kanji. Here is more information about How to pass JLPT N5? (languagetutor.com.au).
To pass the first level of HSK, HSK1, you only need 30 hours. Here is more information about How to prepare HSK? (languagetutor.com.au)
Suggestion:
The most important thing to learn a language is your interest. If you like the language, we can help you learn it well.
If you like both Japanese and Chinese and want to choose an easier one to learn, I believe you can make your judgement based on the above information.
Japanese can be easier if you only want to learn basic Japanese conversation to travel to Japan. Our Talking Japanese short course can help you speak basic Japanese in about 15 – 20 hours. You can book here: BBC Talking Japanese-Online (languagetutor.com.au)
We also have a Talking Mandarin Chinese short course as well. You can book here: BBC Talk Mandarin Chinese – Online (languagetutor.com.au)
If you want to get a globally recognised language certificate, you can join our Chinese class for Professionals – HSK (languagetutor.com.au) or Japanese class for Beginners -JLPT N5 (languagetutor.com.au).
No matter what language you choose, we can help you reach your goal.
Please vote which language you think is more difficult on our Linkedin page.