The rapid growth of China’s economy has significantly increased the demand for learning Chinese. This raises an important question for anyone considering learning a new language: should you learn English or Chinese? In this article, Ni Hao Ma provides an overview of both languages to help you make the most informed decision.
Advantages of Learning English
English has long played a crucial role as an international language, serving as a bridge for communication across cultures, countries, and people worldwide. It’s no longer just a subject being taught in school — English has become an essential tool in many areas of modern life.
Access to Global Knowledge
Knowing English allows you to access the vast treasure trove of human knowledge. A large portion of academic papers, scientific research, professional books, and high-quality online courses are written in English. Being able to understand and use English proficiently enables you to stay updated on new trends and tap into global educational resources.
Moreover, English is a requirement for student exchange programs, international scholarships, or studying abroad in developed countries. In that sense, English is a key that unlocks the door to knowledge and a brighter future.
Greater Career Opportunities
In today’s competitive job market, English fluency is one of the top requirements from companies . Employees who speak English have an edge when it comes to communicating with international partners, attending professional conferences, and accessing critical work documents.
Beyond opening up career opportunities, English can also be a factor in getting promoted to managerial roles, joining large-scale projects, or working overseas. In short, English is not just a soft skill — it’s a powerful “weapon” that helps you compete in the increasingly demanding labor market.
Easier Global Communication
Knowing English makes it much easier to connect with international friends and expand your global network. While traveling, being able to speak English gives you the confidence to interact with locals, ask for directions, book hotels, and understand signs or tourist information without difficulties.
Enjoying Entertainment and Pop Culture
Hollywood blockbusters, hit songs, video games, books, and international TV shows often use English as the primary language. Those fluent in English can fully grasp the plot, wordplay, cultural expressions, and subtle nuances that translations often miss.
Challenges of Learning English
Although English is a global language with important roles in education, careers, and communication, mastering it is no easy feat — especially for learners whose native language isn’t English. Here are some of the main challenges:
Grammatical Differences
One of the biggest obstacles is how different English grammar and sentence structure can be from one’s native language. English has many complex grammatical rules, such as verb tenses, inversion, relative clauses, and conditionals — none of which are simple to grasp. The word order in English sentences also differs significantly from many other languages.
Pronunciation
English has a diverse phonetic system that includes many sounds absent in Vietnamese. Sounds like /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, or the contrast between /i:/ and /ɪ/ can be difficult to master, especially for learners who lack opportunities to practice speaking regularly.
Vast Vocabulary and Many Exceptions
English is known for its numerous homonyms, synonyms, antonyms, phrasal verbs, and idioms. On top of that, English spelling and pronunciation are often inconsistent — a word can be spelled the same but pronounced differently, making it even harder to remember.
Limited Speaking Environment
In non-English-speaking countries like Vietnam, learners often don’t have the chance to use the language in daily life. Studying theory from textbooks without real-world listening and speaking practice makes it difficult to improve communication skills. That’s why many learners have strong grammar knowledge but lack confidence when speaking.
The Advantages of Learning Chinese
In today’s globalized world, Chinese is increasingly recognized for its importance in international communication, trade, culture, and education. So, what are the key benefits of learning Chinese?
Expanded Job Opportunities
More and more Chinese companies are investing in the Vietnamese market. As a result, demand for Chinese-speaking staff is on the rise — especially in fields such as trade, logistics, manufacturing, tourism, customer service, and translation. Being proficient in Chinese gives you access to well-paying jobs with great benefits.
Access to World-Class Education
China boasts many prestigious universities like Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Fudan University, all offering attractive scholarship programs for international students. Knowing Chinese not only qualifies you for these scholarships, but also helps you adapt more quickly to campus life and study environments.
Additionally, China leads in technology, science, and research, so being able to read technical documents in Chinese is a major advantage for students in fields like engineering, medicine, IT, or linguistics.
Easier to Learn Other Chinese-Character-Based Languages
Once you’ve learned Chinese, it becomes much easier to learn other languages that use Chinese characters, such as Japanese (Kanji) or Korean (Hanja, found in classical texts). You’ll already be familiar with the writing system and how to break down character components, which gives you a major edge in recognizing, understanding, and memorizing new vocabulary.
Explore more: Which Language is the Easiest to Learn: Chinese, Japanese or Korean?
Strengthens Overall Language Skills
Chinese — especially its character-based writing system — is a visual language with a grammar system that’s very different from alphabet-based languages like English or Vietnamese. Learning Chinese requires you to develop strong memory, attention to detail, and systematic thinking to recognize, write, and remember thousands of characters. These skills not only enhance brain function but also improve your ability to learn other foreign languages.
Challenges of Learning Chinese
That said, Chinese isn’t easy to learn — especially for Vietnamese speakers or learners used to Latin-based writing systems. Despite the many benefits, learners also face several major challenges.
Complex Character System
Unlike Vietnamese or English, which use the Latin alphabet, Chinese is a logographic language made up of thousands of individual characters. Each character represents a syllable and a specific meaning, and cannot be sounded out phonetically. Learners must memorize how to write, read, and understand each character.
Read more: The Basics Of Chinese Stroke Order
Pronunciation and Tones
Chinese is a tonal language, meaning the same syllable pronounced with different tones will have different meanings. Standard Mandarin has four main tones and a neutral tone, which often confuse learners. For example, “ma” with different tones can mean mother (mā), hemp (má), horse (mǎ), or scold (mà).
Chinese Homophones
Chinese has many homophones — words that sound the same but have different characters and meanings. For instance, “shì” could be 市 (city), 是 (is), 事 (matter), or 试 (to try). To tell them apart, learners must rely on context or written form, which makes listening and writing particularly challenging.
Cultural Differences
Chinese is deeply tied to its culture. Many expressions, idioms, and phrases originate from traditional Chinese culture, history, or philosophy. Without understanding the cultural context, learners may misinterpret meanings or use words inappropriately.
Which language should you learn: English or Chinese
In an increasingly globalized world, learning a foreign language is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity. Still, many people wonder whether to choose English or Chinese. For Vietnamese speakers, here’s a comparative analysis to help you decide which is more approachable:
- Linguistic Similarity: Chinese shares more vocabulary with Vietnamese, thanks to Sino-Vietnamese words. Culturally, as both countries belong to the Sinosphere, Vietnamese learners may find it easier to relate to Chinese traditions and thought.
- Writing System: English uses the Latin alphabet, just like Vietnamese, so learners can quickly get used to reading, writing, and typing. In contrast, Chinese characters are entirely different and cannot be sounded out or spelled using phonics.
- Practical Use: English is still the most widely spoken global language and remains relevant in nearly every industry. Chinese is growing rapidly, especially due to China’s economic influence — making it particularly useful in business contexts.
If you’re completely new to foreign languages, English is a better starting point because it’s more accessible and applicable in various contexts. However, if you already have basic English and are pursuing a career related to China, learning Chinese will give you additional opportunities. If you’re not under time pressure, choosing the language you’re more passionate about will help you stay motivated in the long term.
Conclusion
English or Chinese? The answer depends on your personal goals, accessibility, and interests. If possible, learning both languages will give you a distinct advantage and open far more doors than knowing just one.
Ni Hao Ma hopes this article has helped guide your decision. To explore our Chinese speaking courses, don’t hesitate to contact our hotline for personalized consultation!
