What language should I learn, Chinese or Japanese?

Question

I am interested in the Oriental culture, language, etc... I have a friend who came to the US from China and she is the one who sparked my interest in the Far East. I know that China moving into the future at a rapid pace, so I think that learning Chinese would be very beneficial to me. On the other hand, I would like to work for Nintendo or Sony, peferably Nintendo, in Japan, so that means that I would have to learn Japanese. Could it be posible for me to learn both Chinese and Japanese without getting confused between them? I am personally leaning towards Chinese, considering a little more than one billion people in this world speak Chinese, and I would appreciate input from all people, but would appreciate it even more if I may have imput from a native English speaker with an American viewpoint. Thank You!

Answer 1

The Japanese are truly impressed when you know their language. The Chinese, not so. In Japan, you'll get far by knowing their language. In China, you're more likely to be grumbled at behind your back as if you are intruding and shouldn't have bothered.

TGW

Answer 2

I m a Chinese and I speak fluent Japanese, it is an advantage that if you know Chinese then you start to learn Japanese, but in my opinion, Chinese is far more difficult than Japanese in learning and take a lot more time and you might get fed up within 2 years before you reach your goal which may take you around 6 years for Chinese and 3 years for Japanese (Learn these Languages by taking formal courses in proper Languages school in your country). Japanese is actualy hard enough for you, it has two way of speaking, the man kind and the lady kind, so the whole sentense and expression is different when you talk as a man than a woman. If you mix it up, people would think that you are gay & if the woman used men's wordings she would be refered as "very rude", "low class". So, it really depends on what you are turely interested in and you can just start to learn Japanese / Chinese and go all the way, the two languages actually can't understand each other, Chinese can only guess the Japanese meaning by the "kanji" and still the use of "Kanji" in Japanese is very different than Chinese even they are originally come from China. Japan sent monks to China to learn Chinese 1000 years ago, after all these year of evolotion of the language, you can tell just like if you know Latin, it is benefitial to you to learn Spanish, Italian but why you have to learn a difficult one first? Chinese is one of the most difficult languages to learn, I really put a lot of effort on it since I was 2, blood and tears! Certainly it is my mother language ane I love it, but the learning process and to memorize thousands of different characters and their phases + old Chinese (poems ...etc) was real hard. Japanese isn't a easy one too!

Answer 3

Learning both Chinese and Japanese takes years. I can see why you would learn either. You have a native Chinese friend, who could help you with your Chinese both in writing and orally, which is useful. If you plan to work for Nintendo, Japanese is a great language choice. Chinese does have more than 1 billion speakers, but Japan has a stronger economy and is more of an advantage for your future plans. It is possible to learn both, but I reccomend one at a time, it keeps you focused on one language, and learning their alphabet is difficult enough, you don't want to learn both at the same time. I suggest Chinese if your friend is willing to help you. Japanese can wait.

Answer 4

If the whole world (6 billion people) had a banquet and each table had 6 persons on each table there would be a chinese person

I would chose chinese because
-it is an older culture
-it will have more influence on the world in the future
-China has more chinese people living in the us than Japan
-Chinese also helped to forge the US (railroads among other things
-Chinese will soon be making Nintendo or similar

Answer 5

Chinese, not just for economic reasons which others have so clearly explained. Also because the written Japanese language uses Chinese characters (kanji) too.

So it might help a little when you subsequently learn Japanese, though it's not pronounced the same way. But at least if you go to Japan, you won't be completely lost. But pls don't learn them together. You'll be more confused than anything else.

Answer 6

I am a native Californian living in Silicon Valley. I would suggest Chinese (Mandarin) and, later on, Japanese. The private schools are teaching both. A very few upscale (hate that word) public schools are now teaching Mandarin beginning in Kindergarten (for both Chinese speakers as well as English-only speakers). Learning both at once may be too much.

Answer 7

I have a Japanese friend in Yokohama. His mother is Japanese and his father is Chinese. Because of his parentage, he also got Mandarin lessons since he was young. Lucky for him, because so many Japanese are actually unemployed now. His facility in Chinese gave him the edge over others.

Answer 8

Chinese..

the china is making big bucks in the market currently and they will continue to.. Jap language, although is cool.. but chinese is more useful.. it'll be easier for u to venture into the billion people market when u know chinese as well..

wanting to work in a jap company doesnt means that u would have to know jap.. as u know.. many MNCs are also setting up their companies and factories in china due to the lower cost.. this includes jap companies as well..

if not.. you might wish to decide on e languages u wish to learn when u join the company later on.. this would make sure u do not learn the 'wrong' language..

u could also learn both languages! but of course.. learn one with basic understanding and e other, with deeper understanding..

good luck =]

Answer 9

like you i am also interested in language.but i think you must study both of it because i believe that knowing many languages help you and your future.you can also make new friends because of it specially comunication in different languages are used nowadays.also you can always assure that you will have your new friends because of it.thanks

Answer 10

both