Simplified Chinese characters

Simplified Chinese characters are standardized forms of Chinese characters used chiefly in mainland China and Singapore. Many have fewer strokes than corresponding traditional forms, though some are unchanged or differ in other ways.

Chinese character simplification: The reduction or standardization of written Chinese character forms through historical reform. This broader process produced the modern simplified character set.
Simplified Chinese character table: An official reference listing standardized simplified Chinese characters and their prescribed forms. It specifies which forms count as standard in official use.
Simplified Chinese input methods: Computer and mobile methods for entering simplified Chinese text. Input systems convert pronunciation or strokes into standardized simplified forms.
Japanese kanji: Chinese-derived characters used in Japanese writing, with Japanese readings and conventions. Japan's independent character reforms produced forms that sometimes resemble simplified Chinese.
Literacy in China: The ability to read and write among people in China, shaped by schooling and language policy. Simplification was promoted partly as a means of making literacy easier to acquire.
Qin Shi Huang: The first emperor of a unified China, who ruled from 221 to 210 BCE. His empire standardized script forms long before modern simplification.
Traditional Chinese characters: Chinese character forms that generally retain more components than corresponding simplified forms. The contrast clarifies which differences simplification introduced and which it did not.
Chinese language education: Formal and informal teaching of Chinese language skills, including literacy. Simplified forms are the standard writing target in mainland Chinese schools.
Hanyu Pinyin: The official romanization system for Standard Chinese using Latin letters and tone marks. Pinyin represents speech alphabetically rather than by simplified character forms.
Chinese diaspora: Chinese communities living outside China, often maintaining distinct linguistic and cultural practices. Communities adopted different character standards through migration and local institutions.

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