Chinese characters seem very complex to write. Can Chinese students who hand write essays or exams write quickly? What do they do if they want to use a word but don’t know the character for it?

Chinese students can write essays or exams quickly when they’re clear about what they want to say. If they’re unsure of a character for a specific word, they often opt for a synonym. However, I’m convinced that writing in Chinese generally takes more time than in English.

Firstly, the intricacy of Chinese characters surpasses that of English words, leading to a lengthier handwriting process.

Secondly, to convey identical content, modern Chinese often demands a higher word count than English. This observation is reinforced when comparing the length of novels translated into both languages. This discrepancy, I believe, stems from the Chinese language’s adaptable grammar and its lack of tense. Put simply, fewer constraints lead to a greater word count.

Yet, the strength of Chinese lies in its capacity to craft nuanced subtexts. This underscores the importance of careful word selection to sidestep potential misunderstandings or unintended implications.

To those who’ve grown up with Chinese as their mother tongue, this complexity might appear mundane. Many would even assert, “Writing in Chinese is a breeze.”

In truth, it’s far from simple.