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!

ShaoLan Hsueh: Aprenda a ler chinês ... facilmente!

Filmed:
4,781,742 views

Para estrangeiros, aprender a falar chinês é uma tarefa árdua. Mas aprender a ler os belos, e geralmente complexos caracteres da escrita chinesa, pode ser menos complicado. ShaoLan apresenta uma aula simples para reconhecer as ideias por trás dos símbolos e seus significados, começando por formas simples em direção à conceitos mais complexos.
- 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
0
754
2056
Eu cresci em Taiwan
00:14
as the daughter of a calligrapher,
1
2810
1612
e como filha de um calígrafo,
00:16
one of my most treasured memories
2
4422
2368
uma das minhas melhores memórias
00:18
was my mother showing me the beauty, the shape
3
6790
3093
são da minha mãe me mostrando a beleza, os traços
00:21
and the form of Chinese characters.
4
9883
2633
e a forma dos caracteres chineses.
00:24
Ever since then, I was fascinated
5
12516
2507
Desde aquela época eu sou fascinada
00:27
by this incredible language.
6
15023
2662
por essa língua incrível.
00:29
But to an outsider, it seems to be
7
17685
2735
No entanto, para um estrangeiro, o chinês parece
00:32
as impenetrable as the Great Wall of China.
8
20420
3509
tão difícil quanto atravessar a Grande Muralha da China.
00:35
Over the past few years, I've been wondering
9
23929
2375
Durante os últimos anos, tenho pensado
00:38
if I can break down this wall,
10
26304
2052
se eu conseguiria acabar com essa barreira
00:40
so anyone who wants to understand and appreciate
11
28356
2594
para que qualquer um que queira entender e apreciar
00:42
the beauty of this sophisticated language could do so.
12
30950
3908
as belezas dessa língua tão sofisticada, possa conseguir.
00:46
I started thinking about how a new, fast method
13
34858
4312
Eu comecei pensando como um novo e rápido método
00:51
of learning Chinese might be useful.
14
39170
2848
de aprendizagem do Chinês poderia ser eficiente.
00:54
Since the age of five, I started to learn how to draw
15
42018
3986
Desde os cinco anos, eu comecei a aprender a desenhar
00:58
every single stroke for each character
16
46004
3005
cada um dos traços de cada caractere
01:01
in the correct sequence.
17
49009
2544
na sequência correta.
01:03
I learned new characters every day
18
51553
2057
Eu aprendi novos caracteres todos os dias
01:05
during the course of the next 15 years.
19
53610
2727
durante 15 anos.
01:08
Since we only have five minutes,
20
56337
2120
Já que nós temos cinco minutos,
01:10
it's better that we have a fast and simpler way.
21
58457
3635
é melhor usarmos um método mais rápido e simples.
01:14
A Chinese scholar would understand 20,000 characters.
22
62092
3525
Um estudioso chinês entende 20 mil caracteres.
01:17
You only need 1,000 to understand the basic literacy.
23
65617
5112
Você precisa de apenas mil para entender o básico.
01:22
The top 200 will allow you to comprehend
24
70729
4016
Os 200 mais usados vão permitir que você compreenda
01:26
40 percent of basic literature --
25
74745
2896
40% da literatura básica --
01:29
enough to read road signs, restaurant menus,
26
77641
2876
o suficiente para ler placas em estradas, cardápios de restaurantes,
01:32
to understand the basic idea of the web pages
27
80517
3004
para entender a ideia básica de uma página da internet
01:35
or the newspapers.
28
83521
1939
ou de jornais.
01:37
Today I'm going to start with eight
29
85460
2199
Hoje eu vou começar ensinando oito deles
01:39
to show you how the method works.
30
87659
1892
para mostrar como o método funciona.
01:41
You are ready?
31
89551
1921
Vocês estão prontos?
01:43
Open your mouth as wide as possible
32
91472
2683
Abra sua boca o máximo que conseguir
01:46
until it's square.
33
94155
2046
até que se forme um quadrado.
01:48
You get a mouth.
34
96201
2682
Você desenhou uma boca.
01:50
This is a person going for a walk.
35
98883
3088
Isso é uma pessoa andando.
01:53
Person.
36
101971
3131
Pessoa.
01:57
If the shape of the fire is a person
37
105102
2709
Se a chama tem o formato de uma pessoa
01:59
with two arms on both sides,
38
107811
2270
com um braço em cada lado,
02:02
as if she was yelling frantically,
39
110081
2170
como se ela estivesse gritando freneticamente:
02:04
"Help! I'm on fire!" --
40
112251
3553
"Me ajude! Estou pegando fogo!"
02:07
This symbol actually is originally from the shape of the flame,
41
115804
4167
Esse símbolo surgiu inicialmente da forma da chama,
02:11
but I like to think that way. Whichever works for you.
42
119971
3813
mas eu prefiro pensar dessa maneira. O que funcionar melhor para você.
02:15
This is a tree.
43
123784
2259
Isso é uma árvore.
02:18
Tree.
44
126043
2098
Árvore.
02:20
This is a mountain.
45
128141
4425
Isso é uma montanha.
02:24
The sun.
46
132566
2601
O sol.
02:29
The moon.
47
137458
4654
A lua.
02:34
The symbol of the door
48
142112
1975
O símbolo de uma porta
02:36
looks like a pair of saloon doors in the wild west.
49
144087
5706
parece um par de portas de um "saloon" do faroeste.
02:41
I call these eight characters radicals.
50
149793
3738
Eu chamo esses oito caracteres de fundamentais.
02:45
They are the building blocks
51
153531
1766
Eles são os blocos de construção
02:47
for you to create lots more characters.
52
155297
4130
para que você crie muitos outros caracteres.
02:51
A person.
53
159427
1738
Uma pessoa.
02:53
If someone walks behind, that is "to follow."
54
161165
4268
Se alguém caminha atrás de você, é "seguir".
02:57
As the old saying goes,
55
165433
2128
Como diz o ditado,
02:59
two is company, three is a crowd.
56
167561
3726
um é pouco, dois é bom, três é demais.
03:03
If a person stretched their arms wide,
57
171287
2915
Quando uma pessoa abre os braços,
03:06
this person is saying, "It was this big."
58
174202
4647
ela quer dizer "era desse tamanho".
03:10
The person inside the mouth, the person is trapped.
59
178849
3848
A pessoa está dentro da boca, ela está presa.
03:14
He's a prisoner, just like Jonah inside the whale.
60
182697
5846
Ele é um prisioneiro, igual Jonas dentro da baleia.
03:20
One tree is a tree. Two trees together, we have the woods.
61
188543
3494
Uma árvore sozinha é apenas uma árvore. Quando temos duas árvores juntas, temos um bosque.
03:24
Three trees together, we create the forest.
62
192037
3556
Três árvores juntas, e criamos uma floresta.
03:27
Put a plank underneath the tree, we have the foundation.
63
195593
4072
Se colocar uma tábua embaixo de uma árvore, temos uma fundação.
03:31
Put a mouth on the top of the tree, that's "idiot." (Laughter)
64
199665
4135
Se colocar uma boca em cima da árvore, isso é idiota. (Risos)
03:35
Easy to remember,
65
203800
2081
É fácil de se lembrar,
03:37
since a talking tree is pretty idiotic.
66
205881
4942
já que uma árvore falante é bem idiota.
03:42
Remember fire?
67
210823
2042
Lembram do fogo?
03:44
Two fires together, I get really hot.
68
212865
2661
Duas chamas juntas, eu fico com muito calor.
03:47
Three fires together, that's a lot of flames.
69
215526
2859
Com três chamas juntas, são muitas chamas.
03:50
Set the fire underneath the two trees, it's burning.
70
218385
4601
Coloque fogo embaixo das duas árvores, é queimando.
03:54
For us, the sun is the source of prosperity.
71
222986
3092
Para nós, o sol é a origem da prosperidade.
03:58
Two suns together, prosperous.
72
226078
2179
Dois sóis juntos, próspero.
04:00
Three together, that's sparkles.
73
228257
2358
Três juntos, é brilhar.
04:02
Put the sun and the moon shining together,
74
230615
2021
Coloque o sol e a lua reluzindo juntos,
04:04
it's brightness.
75
232636
1308
é brilho.
04:05
It also means tomorrow, after a day and a night.
76
233944
4225
Esse também significa amanhã, depois de um dia e uma noite.
04:10
The sun is coming up above the horizon. Sunrise.
77
238169
4483
O sol subindo sobre o horizonte. Nascer do sol.
04:14
A door. Put a plank inside the door,
78
242652
3103
Uma porta. Coloque uma tábua dentro da porta,
04:17
it's a door bolt.
79
245755
2057
é a tranca da porta.
04:19
Put a mouth inside the door, asking questions.
80
247812
2964
Uma boca dentro da porta, fazendo perguntas.
04:22
Knock knock. Is anyone home?
81
250776
3331
Toc toc. Tem alguém em casa?
04:26
This person is sneaking out of a door,
82
254107
2888
Essa pessoa está se esgueirando pela porta,
04:28
escaping, evading.
83
256995
2832
escapando, fugindo.
04:31
On the left, we have a woman.
84
259827
2153
À esquerda, temos uma mulher.
04:33
Two women together, they have an argument.
85
261980
2162
Duas mulheres juntas e elas já começam a discutir.
04:36
(Laughter)
86
264142
2133
(Risos)
04:38
Three women together, be careful, it's adultery.
87
266275
6518
Com três mulheres juntas, cuidado, é adultério.
04:44
So we have gone through almost 30 characters.
88
272793
3509
Nós vimos quase 30 caracteres.
04:48
By using this method, the first eight radicals
89
276302
3337
Com esse método, usando os oito primeiros radicais,
04:51
will allow you to build 32.
90
279639
2001
você poderá construir 32.
04:53
The next group of eight characters
91
281640
1763
O próximo grupo de oito caracteres
04:55
will build an extra 32.
92
283403
2192
vão construir outros 32.
04:57
So with very little effort,
93
285595
2302
Então com pouco esforço,
04:59
you will be able to learn a couple hundred characters,
94
287897
2266
você vai poder aprender uns 200 caracteres,
05:02
which is the same as a Chinese eight-year-old.
95
290163
2552
o mesmo que sabe um chinês de oito anos.
05:04
So after we know the characters, we start building phrases.
96
292715
3547
Depois de aprender os caracteres, nós começamos a construir frases.
05:08
For example, the mountain and the fire together,
97
296262
2697
Por exemplo, a montanha e o fogo juntos,
05:10
we have fire mountain. It's a volcano.
98
298959
2928
criamos uma montanha de fogo. É um vulcão.
05:13
We know Japan is the land of the rising sun.
99
301887
3320
Nós sabemos que o Japão é a terra do Sol Nascente.
05:17
This is a sun placed with the origin,
100
305207
3418
Esse é o sol colocado junto com a origem,
05:20
because Japan lies to the east of China.
101
308625
3127
porque o Japão fica ao leste da China.
05:23
So a sun, origin together, we build Japan.
102
311752
3890
Então o sol e a origem juntos formam Japão.
05:27
A person behind Japan, what do we get?
103
315642
2958
Uma pessoa ao lado do Japão, o que temos?
05:30
A Japanese person.
104
318600
3102
Um japonês.
05:33
The character on the left is two mountains
105
321702
2801
O caractere à esquerda são duas montanhas
05:36
stacked on top of each other.
106
324503
2107
colocadas uma sobre a outra.
05:38
In ancient China, that means in exile,
107
326610
3217
Na antiga China, isso significava exílio,
05:41
because Chinese emperors, they put their political enemies
108
329827
2438
por que os imperadores chineses colocavam seus inimigos políticos
05:44
in exile beyond mountains.
109
332265
2371
no exílio depois das montanhas.
05:46
Nowadays, exile has turned into getting out.
110
334636
5011
Hoje em dia, exílio se transformou em sair.
05:51
A mouth which tells you where to get out
111
339647
2571
Uma boca que diz a você onde está a saída
05:54
is an exit.
112
342218
1928
significa saída.
05:56
This is a slide to remind me that I should stop talking
113
344146
3641
Esse é um slide para eu me lembrar que preciso parar de falar
05:59
and get off of the stage. Thank you.
114
347787
1883
e sair do palco. Obrigada.
06:01
(Applause)
115
349670
3969
(Aplausos)
Translated by Guilherme Zuchetti
Reviewed by Viviane Ferraz Matos

▲Back to top

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

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee