ABOUT THE SPEAKER
ShaoLan Hsueh - Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West.

Why you should listen

ShaoLan is an entrepreneur, angel investor, geek, writer, traveller and dreamer. She is the founder and creator of Chineasy, which she launched after her TED Talk in Long Beach, California in 2013.

In just over three years, she has built Chineasy into one of the most popular methods of learning Chinese across the Internet with several hundred thousand fellow learners. Her first book, Chineasy, The New Way to Read Chinese, was launched in March 2014 and has been translated into 18 languages. Her next book, Chineasy Everyday, was launched in March 2016.

ShaoLan is a tech entrepreneur with extensive business experience. At the age of 22, while studying for her MBA, she wrote four best-selling books on software in Taiwan, and her books were bundled by Microsoft. She co-founded pAsia, one of the major players on Internet in Asia in 1990’s. After a second masters degree at the University of Cambridge, she began Caravel Capital in 2005 to advise young tech companies.

Chineasy represents a return for ShaoLan to her artistic upbringing and in many ways a design project. This project is the culmination of her life’s journey through the East and West. Her aim is to help people to understand China, Chinese culture, its language and to bridge the gap between East and West. Her next step is to help Chinese children to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of their own language. 

 

More profile about the speaker
ShaoLan Hsueh | Speaker | TED.com
TED2013

ShaoLan: Learn to read Chinese ... with ease!

شاولان: فێربە چۆن چینی بە ئاسانی بخوێنیتەوە

Filmed:
4,781,742 views

‎بۆ بیانییەکان، فێربوونی زمانی چینی بۆ قسەکردن ئەرکێکی سەختە. بەڵام فێربوونی خوێندنەوەیەکی جوان، زۆرجار پیتە ئاڵۆزەکانی زمانی نووسراوی چینی لەوانەیە زۆر سەخت نەبێت. شاولان وانەیەکی سادە پیشان دەدات بۆ زانینی بیرۆکەی پشت پیتەکان و ماناکانیان -- دروستکردنی لە چەند شێوەی سادە بۆ چەمکی ئاڵۆزتر. ناوی لێ دەنێین چینی ئاسان.
- Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Growing up in Taiwan
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لە تایوان گەورە بووم
00:14
as the daughter of a calligrapher,
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وەک كچى خۆشنووسێك،
00:16
one of my most treasured memories
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یەکێک لە خۆشترین یادگاریەکانم
00:18
was my mother showing me the beauty, the shape
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ئەوە بوو دایکم جوانیی
شێوەی پیتە چینییەکانی
00:21
and the form of Chinese characters.
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پیشان دەدام.
00:24
Ever since then, I was fascinated
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لەو کاتەوە شەیدای ئەم
00:27
by this incredible language.
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زمانە سەرنجڕاکێشە بووم.
00:29
But to an outsider, it seems to be
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بەڵام بۆ بێگانەیەک، وا دێتە پێش چاو کە
00:32
as impenetrable as the Great Wall of China.
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هێندەی شوورای چین قورس بێت.
00:35
Over the past few years, I've been wondering
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لە ماوەی چەند ساڵی ڕابردوو، لە خۆم دەپرسی
00:38
if I can break down this wall,
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ئەگەر من بتوانم ئەم ديوارە تێكبشكێنم،
00:40
so anyone who wants to understand and appreciate
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بۆ ئەوەی هەموو کەسێک لە جوانی ئەم
00:42
the beauty of this sophisticated language could do so.
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ئەم زمانە تێبگات و چێژ وەربگرێت.
00:46
I started thinking about how a new, fast method
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دەربارەی ڕێگەیەکی خێرا و نوێی
00:51
of learning Chinese might be useful.
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بە سوود بۆ فێربوونی
زمانی چینی بیرم کردەوە.
00:54
Since the age of five, I started to learn how to draw
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لە تەمەنی پێنج ساڵییەوە فێری گشت
00:58
every single stroke for each character
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هێڵەکانی کارەکتەرەکانی زمانی چینی
01:01
in the correct sequence.
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بە ڕێزبەندی ڕاست بووم.
01:03
I learned new characters every day
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ھەموو رۆژ پیتێکی نوێ فێردەبووم
01:05
during the course of the next 15 years.
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لە ماوەی پازدە ساڵی داھاتوو.
01:08
Since we only have five minutes,
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لەبەر ئەوەی تەنھا پێنج خولەکمان ھەیە،
01:10
it's better that we have a fast and simpler way.
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باشترە ڕێگەیەکی خێراتر وسادەترمان ھەبیت.
01:14
A Chinese scholar would understand 20,000 characters.
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توێژەرێکی چینی لە ٢٠،٠٠٠ کارەکتەر تێدەگات.
01:17
You only need 1,000 to understand the basic literacy.
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تۆ تەنها پێویستت بە ١٠٠٠ وشە هەیە
تا لە لە خوێندنەوەی بنچینەی تێبگەیت.
01:22
The top 200 will allow you to comprehend
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٢٠٠ دانەی سەرەتا ڕێگە خۆش دەکەن بۆ ئەوەی
01:26
40 percent of basic literature --
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لە سەدا ٤٠ تێبگەیت کە
01:29
enough to read road signs, restaurant menus,
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بەسە تا نووسینی نيشانەى ڕێگە
و لیستی خواردنەکان تێبگەیت،
01:32
to understand the basic idea of the web pages
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هەمان ڕێژە بەسە بۆ ئەوەی
لە ناوەڕۆکی وێبسایتەکان و
01:35
or the newspapers.
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يان ڕۆژنامەكان تێبگەیت.
01:37
Today I'm going to start with eight
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ئەمڕۆ من بە هەشت کارەکتەر دەست پێ دەکەم
01:39
to show you how the method works.
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تا پیشانی بدەم چۆن ئەو ڕێگەیە بەکاردێت.
01:41
You are ready?
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ئامادەن؟
01:43
Open your mouth as wide as possible
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دەمتان بکەنەوە بەو فراوانیەی کە دەتوانن
01:46
until it's square.
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هەتا وەکو چوارگۆشەیەکی لێدێت.
01:48
You get a mouth.
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تۆ دەمت هەیە.
01:50
This is a person going for a walk.
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ئەمە كەسێكە دەڕوات بۆ پیاسە.
01:53
Person.
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كەسێك.
01:57
If the shape of the fire is a person
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ئەگەر شێوەى ئاگرەكە کەسێک بێت
01:59
with two arms on both sides,
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بە دوو قۆڵ لە هەردوو لا،
02:02
as if she was yelling frantically,
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وەك بڵێى وەك شێت هاوارى دەکات،
02:04
"Help! I'm on fire!" --
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يارمەتى! ئاگرم تێبەربووە "--"
02:07
This symbol actually is originally from the shape of the flame,
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شێوەی بنەڕەتی ئەو دروشمە دەگەڕێتەوە
بۆ شێوەی گڕ،
02:11
but I like to think that way. Whichever works for you.
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حەزدەکەم بەم شێوەیە بیربکەمەوە.
بە هەر جۆرێک بۆ تۆ گونجاوە.
02:15
This is a tree.
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ئەمە درەختێکە.
02:18
Tree.
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دار.
02:20
This is a mountain.
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ئەمە چیایەکە.
02:24
The sun.
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خۆر.
02:29
The moon.
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مانگ.
02:34
The symbol of the door
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دروشمى دەرگە.
02:36
looks like a pair of saloon doors in the wild west.
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وەك جووتێک دەرگەى ساڵۆنێک لە ڕۆژئاوا.
02:41
I call these eight characters radicals.
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ئەم هەشت کارەکتەرە پیتی سەرەکین.
02:45
They are the building blocks
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ئەوان بەردى بناغەن
02:47
for you to create lots more characters.
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بۆ ئەوەى بتوانن کارەکتەریتر
دروست بكەن.
02:51
A person.
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كەسێك.
02:53
If someone walks behind, that is "to follow."
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ئەگەر کەسێک لە پشتەوە بڕوات، واتا
"دوا کەوتن."
02:57
As the old saying goes,
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ھەروەک لە کۆندا دەڵێن،
02:59
two is company, three is a crowd.
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دوو كەس هاوەڵییە ،
و سێ کەس قەڵەباڵغیە.
03:03
If a person stretched their arms wide,
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ئەگەر كەسێك تەواو باڵەكانيانى ڕاكێشا،
03:06
this person is saying, "It was this big."
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ئەو کەسە دەڵێت: ئەوەندە گەورە بوو.
03:10
The person inside the mouth, the person is trapped.
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کەسێک لە ناو دەم، ئەم کەسە گیری خواردوە.
03:14
He's a prisoner, just like Jonah inside the whale.
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ئەو بەندكراوێكە، كتومت وەك يونس
لە ناو ورگی حووتەكە.
03:20
One tree is a tree. Two trees together, we have the woods.
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،يەك دار دارێكە. دوو دار پێكەوە
ئێمە دارستانەكمان هەيە.
03:24
Three trees together, we create the forest.
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سێ دار پێكەوە، دارستان درووست دەکەن.
03:27
Put a plank underneath the tree, we have the foundation.
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تەختەدارێكى درێژ دابنێ لەبن دارەكە
ئێمە بناغەمان هەيە.
03:31
Put a mouth on the top of the tree, that's "idiot." (Laughter)
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دەمت دا بنێە لەسەر دارەكە، ئەمە " شێت"ە.
(پێكەنين)
03:35
Easy to remember,
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ئەزبەرکردنی ئاسانە،
03:37
since a talking tree is pretty idiotic.
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چونکە قسەکردنی دار تاڕادەیەک شێتانەیە.
03:42
Remember fire?
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ئاگرتان لە بیرە؟
03:44
Two fires together, I get really hot.
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دوو ئاگر بەیەکەوە،
بەڕاستی ھەست بە گەرمی دەکەم.
03:47
Three fires together, that's a lot of flames.
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سێ ئاگر پێكەوە، ئەوە گڕێكى زۆرە.
03:50
Set the fire underneath the two trees, it's burning.
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ئاگرەكە دابنێ لە بن دوو دارەكە، دەسووتێت.
03:54
For us, the sun is the source of prosperity.
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بۆ ئێمە، خۆر سەرچاوەی گەشەسەندنە.
03:58
Two suns together, prosperous.
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دوو خۆر پێكەوە، گەشەسەندن.
04:00
Three together, that's sparkles.
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سێ پێكەوە، پرشەنگدار.
04:02
Put the sun and the moon shining together,
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خۆر و مانگ بەیەکەوە دابنێت دەدرەوشێنەوە،
04:04
it's brightness.
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ئەوە ڕووناكيیە.
04:05
It also means tomorrow, after a day and a night.
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هەروەها واتە سبەى، لە دواى ڕۆژ و شەوێك.
04:10
The sun is coming up above the horizon. Sunrise.
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خۆرھەڵدێت لەسەر ئاسۆکە، خۆرھەڵاتنە.
04:14
A door. Put a plank inside the door,
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دەرگایەک. تەختەدارێكى
درێژ بهێنە ناو دەرگا،
04:17
it's a door bolt.
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ئەوە برغووی دەرگايە.
04:19
Put a mouth inside the door, asking questions.
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دەمێك بهێنە ناو دەرگاكە، پرسیارکردن.
04:22
Knock knock. Is anyone home?
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؟تەق تەق. کەس لە ماڵە
04:26
This person is sneaking out of a door,
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ئەو کەسە بە دزی لە پشتی دەرگاکەیە،
04:28
escaping, evading.
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ھەڵاتن، خۆ لێ لادان.
04:31
On the left, we have a woman.
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لە لای چەپ، ئافرەتێکمان ھەیە.
04:33
Two women together, they have an argument.
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دوو ئافرەت پێكەوە، مشتومڕیانە.
04:36
(Laughter)
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(پێكەنين)
04:38
Three women together, be careful, it's adultery.
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سێ ئافرەت پێكەوە، وريابە،
ئەوە داوێن پیسییە.
04:44
So we have gone through almost 30 characters.
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تا ئێستا، ئێمە باسی
نزیکەی ٣٠ کارەکتەرمان کردووە.
04:48
By using this method, the first eight radicals
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بە بەكارهێنانى ئەم ڕێگەيە،
يەكەم هەشت کارەکتەر
04:51
will allow you to build 32.
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ڕێگەت پێدەدەن تا ٣٢ پیت بنیات بنێت.
04:53
The next group of eight characters
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ھەشت کارەکتەریتر بۆ گروپی داھاتوو
04:55
will build an extra 32.
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٣٢یتر بنیات دەنێت.
04:57
So with very little effort,
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بۆیە لەگەڵ هەوڵێکی زۆر کەم،
04:59
you will be able to learn a couple hundred characters,
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دەتوانیت سەدەها پیت فێرببیت،
05:02
which is the same as a Chinese eight-year-old.
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وەک منداڵێکی چینی تەمەن ھەشت ساڵان.
05:04
So after we know the characters, we start building phrases.
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کە پیتەکانمان ناسی، دەستدەکەین
بە درووستکردنی ڕستە.
05:08
For example, the mountain and the fire together,
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بۆ نموونە، چیا و ئاگر بەیەکەوە،
05:10
we have fire mountain. It's a volcano.
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چیای ئاگرینمان دەستدەکەوێت، کە بورکانە.
05:13
We know Japan is the land of the rising sun.
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دەزانین کە ژاپۆن خاکی ھەڵاتنی خۆرە.
05:17
This is a sun placed with the origin,
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ئەو خۆرە لە بنچینە داندراوە،
05:20
because Japan lies to the east of China.
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چونکە ژاپۆن دەکەوێتە ڕۆژھەڵاتی چین.
05:23
So a sun, origin together, we build Japan.
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بۆیە خۆر و بنچینە بەیەکەوە،
ژاپۆنمان دەست دەکەوێت.
05:27
A person behind Japan, what do we get?
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کەسێک لە پشت ژاپۆن، چیمان دەست دەکەوێت؟
05:30
A Japanese person.
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كەسێكى ژاپۆنى.
05:33
The character on the left is two mountains
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پیتی لای ڕاست دوو چیا پیشان دەدات
05:36
stacked on top of each other.
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کە لەسەر یەکتر دانراون.
05:38
In ancient China, that means in exile,
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لە چینی کۆن، واتە لە ئاوارەیی،
05:41
because Chinese emperors, they put their political enemies
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چونکە ئیمپڕاتۆرەکانی چینی، دوژمنە
سیاسییەکانیان
05:44
in exile beyond mountains.
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لە دواوەی چیاکان دووردەخستەوە.
05:46
Nowadays, exile has turned into getting out.
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لەم ڕۆژانەدا، دوورخستنەوە
بۆ چونە دەرەوە گۆڕاوە.
05:51
A mouth which tells you where to get out
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دەمێک کە شوێنی دەرچوونەکەت پێدەڵێت
05:54
is an exit.
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واتە چونەدەرەوە.
05:56
This is a slide to remind me that I should stop talking
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ئەو سڵایدە بیرم دەھێنێتەوە
کە بوەستم لە قسەکردن و
05:59
and get off of the stage. Thank you.
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سەر شانۆ جێ بھێڵم. سوپاس
06:01
(Applause)
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(چەپڵە)
Translated by karez wshyar
Reviewed by Koya University

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
ShaoLan Hsueh - Technologist, entrepreneur
ShaoLan want to help people understand China's culture and language, and to bridge the gap between East and West.

Why you should listen

ShaoLan is an entrepreneur, angel investor, geek, writer, traveller and dreamer. She is the founder and creator of Chineasy, which she launched after her TED Talk in Long Beach, California in 2013.

In just over three years, she has built Chineasy into one of the most popular methods of learning Chinese across the Internet with several hundred thousand fellow learners. Her first book, Chineasy, The New Way to Read Chinese, was launched in March 2014 and has been translated into 18 languages. Her next book, Chineasy Everyday, was launched in March 2016.

ShaoLan is a tech entrepreneur with extensive business experience. At the age of 22, while studying for her MBA, she wrote four best-selling books on software in Taiwan, and her books were bundled by Microsoft. She co-founded pAsia, one of the major players on Internet in Asia in 1990’s. After a second masters degree at the University of Cambridge, she began Caravel Capital in 2005 to advise young tech companies.

Chineasy represents a return for ShaoLan to her artistic upbringing and in many ways a design project. This project is the culmination of her life’s journey through the East and West. Her aim is to help people to understand China, Chinese culture, its language and to bridge the gap between East and West. Her next step is to help Chinese children to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of their own language. 

 

More profile about the speaker
ShaoLan Hsueh | Speaker | TED.com