한자 배우기

[orbiter]

I find that one reason I do not find Korean that difficult to pick up is due to my knowledge of 한자. (I'm Chinese.) In fact, I can't imagine having to learn Korean without the aid of 한자 - will there not be too much ambiguity involved?

Which led me to think - I know that Korean students have 한자 courses in their curriculum, but how much emphasis is put on it in Korea? According to my mom, who grew up in Seoul, save for the older generation, most Koreans' 한자 knowledge is limited to their names. Is this true?

궁금하네요~

[timandyou]

"Xin nian kuai le!"
This is Tim from KC101.com.
Yes, many K-words originally came from Chinese characters. (i have to admit that since it is true)
When I was young (middle school), yes there was a class for learning Chinese characters but, today.... (I don't know about that!)
Yes, as your mom mentioned, many kids/children/teenagers tend to learn other school subjects, not Chinese.
However, many of them know that many Korean words come from Chinese characters.
Thanks for the comment,
cheers,
Tim

[trutherous]

천자문 - ugh! 배우고 있지만 한국말을 먼저 배우지 않았다면 천자문(근본 한자라고 할까?)까지 배우는 것은 상상도 할 수 없어요. 아이 머리 앞아요..

[orbiter]

어렵지만, 아름다워요... 아쉽네요...

But out of curiosity, how do students study the 천자문? They have to memorise the whole thing, 한자 and all?? Do they recite it like "천지현황, 우주홍황..." or do they actually have to go into "하늘천, 땅지, 검을현, 누를황..."??

우우와. 힘들어요.