I've decided to learn Chinese.

[Tom]

Okay, this is it! I've finally decided to learn Chinese. Well...not exactly. I already know how to speak Chinese (Cantonese anyways), so I just have to learn how to read and write it now.

I can recognize quite a large number of characters, just can't write it. But I probably won't try to hard to remember every stroke and brush. After all, I'm just learning Chinese to read Chinese novels.

Anyhow, what are some websites/programs that can help me greatly? I remember kidd posted a link to some program (Dimsum?). She said that that program is very useful when it comes to reading.

And after I get better at Chinese, what wuxia book should I read first? Something easy please.

PS: This is very important, should I start learning with SIMPLIFIED or TRADITIONAL?

[LuNaR]

traditional. once u know trad, u'll intuitively know simplified, whereas if u know simplified, u'll still be clueless about trad

but i failed at both

[Quinton]

Okay, this is it! I've finally decided to learn Chinese. Well...not exactly. I already know how to speak Chinese (Cantonese anyways), so I just have to learn how to read and write it now.

I can recognize quite a large number of characters, just can't write it. But I probably won't try to hard to remember every stroke and brush. After all, I'm just learning Chinese to read Chinese novels.

Anyhow, what are some websites/programs that can help me greatly? I remember kidd posted a link to some program (Dimsum?). She said that that program is very useful when it comes to reading.

And after I get better at Chinese, what wuxia book should I read first? Something easy please.

PS: This is very important, should I start learning with SIMPLIFIED or TRADITIONAL?

sorry i dont know any programs or links to help you learn chinese, but i do use the program njstar to type chinese. i also cant recommend any wuxia novels to read cuz i myself dont have access to such novels from where i live. learning chinese is something i dont regret wasting 6 years on as i find it very beneficial now. I recommend learning tradition over simplified for the same reason above. the characters also look nicer . i reject to the idea of abolishment of traditional characters

[Tom]

sorry i dont know any programs or links to help you learn chinese, but i do use the program njstar to type chinese. i also cant recommend any wuxia novels to read cuz i myself dont have access to such novels from where i live. learning chinese is something i dont regret wasting 6 years on as i find it very beneficial now. I recommend learning tradition over simplified for the same reason above. the characters also look nicer . i reject to the idea of abolishment of traditional characters

I think I'll have to learn SIMPLIFIED. The reason is because my parents are from China, and they use SIMPLIFIED. By the way, you can read wuxia novels online.

I heard Gu Long novels are the way to go if your Chinese is still wacky.

[kidd]

Here's the dimsum program.
http://www.mandarintools.com/dimsum.html

Another useful site is http://www.mdbg.net/ or its mirror http://www.xuezhongwen.net/

This is the only online dictionary that also have cantonese pinyin. (Character dictionary section)

Yes, Gu Long's novels are the easiest to read for newbie, but not all of them. GL's older novels use more traditional style of writing. Quite hard for newbie.

[Tom]

Thanks, kidd.

Any recommendations?

[PJ]

traditional. once u know trad, u'll intuitively know simplified, whereas if u know simplified, u'll still be clueless about trad

but i failed at both

I strongly disagree.

It's consistently been the case from what I've seen that people who know Traditional Chinese have far greater difficulty with Simplified Chinese than the other way around.

[PJ]

bogeyman, SEPTEMBER CONDOR (Jiuyue Yingfei) is a Gu Long novel that I read when I was young. It is very easy to understand. I would recommend that you try reading that.

[Tom]

I think I'll buy a dictionary with all the basic everyday words...any recommendations there?

EDIT: and what program should I use to type Chinese characters (through pinyin)? Where do I download it?

[Quinton]

I think I'll buy a dictionary with all the basic everyday words...any recommendations there?

EDIT: and what program should I use to type Chinese characters (through pinyin)? Where do I download it?

i use njstar, go to www.njstar.com. find NJStar Chinese Word Processor 5.20 it should be at the top, and click on free download for the shareware version.

I think I'll have to learn SIMPLIFIED. The reason is because my parents are from China, and they use SIMPLIFIED. By the way, you can read wuxia novels online.

I heard Gu Long novels are the way to go if your Chinese is still wacky.

oh really, in the original chinese characters and if so where?? i know english translated is available on the web.

[Tom]

i use njstar, go to www.njstar.com. find NJStar Chinese Word Processor 5.20 it should be at the top, and click on free download for the shareware version.

It says NJStar WP 5.2 is only a trial version. I have to pay $100+ for the full version!

EDIT: Is there a way to make me able to type Chinese anywhere? On my cousin's computer, there's a place at the right side of the taskbar that allows him to change from English to Chinese.

[Suet Seung]

EDIT: Is there a way to make me able to type Chinese anywhere? On my cousin's computer, there's a place at the right side of the taskbar that allows him to change from English to Chinese.

For that Go to Control Panel > Date, Time and Languages > Add other languages > Language tab > Text services and input languages --> Detail (the rest is self-explanatory).

[Guo Xiang]

It says NJStar WP 5.2 is only a trial version. I have to pay $100+ for the full version!

EDIT: Is there a way to make me able to type Chinese anywhere? On my cousin's computer, there's a place at the right side of the taskbar that allows him to change from English to Chinese.

I've been using the trial version for years. Just that after the trial period, you can't use its inbuilt dictionary anymore and that the save option will be unavailable. However, you can work around that latter disadvantage by shutting off the program straight after editing your file because it will still ask you if you want to save the changes.

[Tom]

For that Go to Control Panel > Date, Time and Languages > Add other languages > Language tab > Text services and input languages --> Detail (the rest is self-explanatory).

Can't find it. My computer doesn't seem to have Date, Time and Languages. It has 2 other icons: Date And Time and Regional and Language Options. I clicked on the Language one, but it doesn't seem to have the options you included in your post.

Nevermind...found it.

[kidd]

Control Panel -> Regional and Language Options -> Languages -> Install files for East Asian languages (if it's not dimmed out)-> Details -> Add -> Input Language: Chinese (PRC), Keyboard layout: (Chinese Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 or (Chinese Simplified) - QuanPin -> Ok -> Apply

[Tom]

Control Panel -> Regional and Language Options -> Languages -> Install files for East Asian languages (if it's not dimmed out)-> Details -> Add -> Input Language: Chinese (PRC), Keyboard layout: (Chinese Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 or (Chinese Simplified) - QuanPin -> Ok -> Apply

谢谢你! 中雨被我云刀! HAHA! Kidd, do you understand what I wrote? Read it in Canto.

[Quinton]

haha, i understand it, but some words are incorrect :P sorry for the late reply bogeyman, but it looks like fellow members helpd you out. n/m the expiry date, ive been using it for sometime now. btw, you speak canto or mandarin?

[kidd]

谢谢你! 中雨被我云刀! HAHA! Kidd, do you understand what I wrote? Read it in Canto.

Haha, I understand. 唔使客气.

But, I think this sounds better 终于畀我搵到.

[Quinton]

Haha, I understand. 唔使客气.

But, I think this sounds better 终于畀我搵到.

thats more like it

[Tom]

Bought a Chinese-English dictionary for $40. It contains 3000 of the most commonly used words. Will try hard to memorize the characters...