1. Man=ren Woman=nu Nine=jiu Chinese Calligraphy/ Language

2. There are 50,000 characters. Estimated it would take 10 years of only studying Chinese to learn them all. About 1000 are used 90% of the time. Need to know 3000 to be literate (read a newspaper/signs, etc.) Read or written left to write or top to bottom from the right. Chinese Language

3. Only single (mono) syllables. English has 8000 syllables while Chinese has only 400. 4 tones are used when speaking. Two main dialects (Mandarin and Cantonese). They have different sounds but written almost the same. Chinese Language

4. 200 million Chinese kids learn English while only 50,000 American kids learn Chinese. Chinese doesn’t conjugate verbs (have, has, had, has had, have had, etc.)-uses time words Pinyin (able to read in European language) pronunciations differ: c=tscai (vegetable)=ts-eye q=ch Qin=chin zh=j Zhou=joe Chinese language

5. Greek word that means “beautiful writing” Chinese calligraphy is both a language and an art form (“mind coordinated with hand and heaven”). Some say it will go the way of English cursive. Many different types/came from pictographs. http://library.thinkquest.org/3614/drawing.htm(seven strokes/”mysteries”) Calligraphy

6. Brush (never goes back to the same spot) Ink Rice paper Stone (make ink) Four things needed for Chinese calligraphy

7. Hold brush vertically (may use other hand for support at wrist). Hold brush firmly but keep arm relaxed. Write more slowly than you would your name. Many different strokes. Each one is one continuous movement. At end of stroke, gradually lift the brush. How to do calligraphy

9. Two pieces of paper. On one, practice the various strokes. On second paper, fold paper in half 4 times (16 squares). Write four symbols four times (man, woman, nine, your name). Foreign names into Chinese characters aren’t always exact—try to get close to the sound. What you will do

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ghtJolXC8 http://www.usc.edu/dept/ealc/chinese/newweb/character_page.html (man/woman, numbers) http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa103199.htm (names) LINKS