as the daughter of a calligrapher,

身為書法家之女

one of my most treasured memories

我最珍貴的回憶

was my mother showing me the beauty, the shape

就是母親教懂我漢字的形態

and the form of Chinese characters.

並陶冶我去欣賞當中的美

Ever since then, I was fascinated

從此以後，我就迷上了

by this incredible language.

這絕妙的語文

But to an outsider, it seems to be

但對門外漢而言

as impenetrable as the Great Wall of China.

中文有如萬里長城般的高不可攀

Over the past few years, I've been wondering

過去數年，我一直在思索

if I can break down this wall,

能否讓這堵高牆倒下

so anyone who wants to understand and appreciate

好讓有志之士

the beauty of this sophisticated language could do so.

都能學會並欣賞這精湛的語言

I started thinking about how a new, fast method

我開始思索一種前所未有

of learning Chinese might be useful.

而且快速的中文學習法

Since the age of five, I started to learn how to draw

自五歲起，我開始學習

every single stroke for each character

以正確筆順書寫每個漢字

at the correct sequence.

以正確筆順書寫每個漢字

I learned new characters every day

接下來的十五年，我每天都學習新字

during the course of the next 15 years.

接下來的十五年，我每天都學習新字

Since we only have five minutes,

我在這裡只有五分鐘，時間相當緊迫

it's better that we have a fast and simpler way.

需得有個快速、簡單的方法來跟大家分享這個學習方法

A Chinese scholar would understand 20,000 characters.

中國讀書人能識得二萬個中文字

You only need 1,000 to understand the basic literacy.

但其實只需認得一千字就具備中文基礎了

The top 200 will allow you to comprehend

學會最基礎的二百字就能理解四成的用語

40 percent of basic literature --

學會最基礎的二百字就能理解四成的用語

enough to read road signs, restaurant menus,

這足以看懂路牌、餐廳菜單

to understand the basic idea of the web pages

並了解網頁和報紙的大意

or the newspapers.

並了解網頁和報紙的大意

Today I'm going to start with eight

現在我要用八個字

to show you how the method works.

來展示一下這個學習方法

You are ready?

準備好了嗎？

Open your mouth as wide as possible

使勁張大嘴巴

until it's square.

讓嘴變成口型

You get a mouth.

為「口」

This is a person going for a walk.

散步的人

Person.

為「人」

If the shape of the fire is a person

「火」就像人舉起雙手

with two arms on both sides,

「火」就像人舉起雙手

as if she was yelling frantically,

振臂高呼

"Help! I'm on fire!" --

「天啊！我著火了！」

This symbol actually is originally from the shape of the flame,

這個字原本來自火的形態

but I like to think that way. Whichever works for you.

但我喜歡這樣想像。其實只要你能理解，什麼方法都可以

This is a tree.

這是一棵樹

Tree.

「木」

This is a mountain.

這是一座「山」

The sun.

「日」

The moon.

「月」

The symbol of the door

「門」的漢字

looks like a pair of saloon doors in the wild west.

就像是荒野西部的酒吧大門

I call these eight characters radicals.

我稱這八個字為部首

They are the building blocks

這些元素能組成更多文字

for you to create lots more characters.

這些元素能組成更多文字

A person.

「人」

If someone walks behind, that is "to follow."

人隨其後，為「从」(從)

As the old saying goes,

古語有云：

two is company, three is a crowd.

兩人結伴，三人不歡─三人為「众」（眾）

If a person stretched their arms wide,

若人展開雙臂，說：「有這麼『大』」

this person is saying, "It was this big."

若人展開雙臂，說：「有這麼『大』」

The person inside the mouth, the person is trapped.

人在口中，是「囚」禁

He's a prisoner, just like Jonah inside the whale.

就像約拿被困於鯨魚口裡

One tree is a tree. Two trees together, we have the woods.

一木為樹，雙木為「林」

Three trees together, we create the forest.

三木就成了「森」林

Put a plank underneath the tree, we have the foundation.

樹下加橫木，為根「本」

Put a mouth on the top of the tree, that's "idiot." (Laughter)

樹上長口，是「呆」子（眾笑）

Easy to remember,

很容易記吧？

since a talking tree is pretty idiotic.

會說話的樹的確還蠻傻的

Remember fire?

還記得火嗎？

Two fires together, I get really hot.

兩火交疊，是「炎」熱

Three fires together, that's a lot of flames.

三火相加，是火燄四射

Set the fire underneath the two trees, it's burning.

兩木下生火，是「焚」燒

For us, the sun is the source of prosperity.

對中國人而言，日(太陽)為萬物之源

Two suns together, prosperous.

兩日相隨，代表「昌」盛

Three together, that's sparkles.

三日相疊亮「晶」晶

Put the sun and the moon shining together,

日月相輔為「明」

it's brightness.

代表光明

It also means tomorrow, after a day and a night.

亦代表明日(過了一晝夜)

The sun is coming up above the horizon. Sunrise.

日出為「旦」，太陽升上地平線

A door. Put a plank inside the door,

「門」中放橫木，是「閂」

it's a door bolt.

鎖門的門閂

Put a mouth inside the door, asking questions.

門中有口，是「問」

Knock knock. Is anyone home?

彷彿敲門問：有人在嗎？

This person is sneaking out of a door,

這個人在門邊鬼鬼祟祟

escaping, evading.

「閃」躲、「閃」避

On the left, we have a woman.

左邊是個「女」人

Two women together, they have an argument.

「奻」，兩個女人在一起，就會起爭執

(Laughter)

（眾笑）

Three women together, be careful, it's adultery.

三女一起要當心，有「姦」情

So we have gone through almost 30 characters.

現在我們已經談了將近三十個字

By using this method, the first eight radicals

用這種方法，前八個部首

will allow you to build 32.

就組成三十二個字

The next group of eight characters

下一組的八個部首

will build an extra 32.

又能組成三十二個字

So with very little effort,

如此你就能輕而易舉的學會數百個中文字

you will be able to learn a couple hundred characters,

如此你就能輕而易舉的學會數百個中文字

which is the same as a Chinese eight-year-old.

相當於一個八歲的中國小孩的中文水平

So after we know the characters, we start building phrases.

學會字後，就開始造詞

For example, the mountain and the fire together,

例如「火」加「山」

we have fire mountain. It's a volcano.

會噴火的山，就是「火山」

We know Japan is the land of the rising sun.

日本的意思是朝陽升起的地方

This is a sun placed with the origin,

因為日本位處中國東方

because Japan lies to the east of China.

對中國而言是太陽本源之處

So a sun, origin together, we build Japan.

因此「日」加上「本」組成「日本」

A person behind Japan, what do we get?

「日本」後加「人」，是甚麼？

A Japanese person.

是「日本人」

The character on the left is two mountains

左邊的字是兩座山上下相疊

stacked on top of each other.

左邊的字是兩座山上下相疊

In ancient China, that means in exile,

在中國，代表逐「出」

because Chinese emperors, they put their political enemies

中國古代皇帝會剷除異己

in exile beyond mountains.

把政敵逐出千山萬水之外

Nowadays, exile has turned into getting out.

現在，逐「出」成了外「出」

A mouth which tells you where to get out

一張會告訴你如何走「出」去的口

is an exit.

是「出口」

This is a slide to remind me that I should stop talking

這張投影片正好提醒我該就此打住

and get off of the stage. Thank you.

離開講台了。謝謝

(Applause)

（掌聲）