I looked at the Chineasy symbols in Wikipedia from Chineasy.
I had already heard of Chineasy from a newspaper article which I stuck on a fridge door. But although I looked at the pictures as I passed every day, they had not yet stuck in my brain.
Then came a breakthrough. I looked at Singapore station names when the train stopped at a station or when I stood waiting for a train.
See Number Six In Sixth Avenue DT7
I found I could recognize the number six on Sixth Avenue. (What is the symbol for six? It looks like a stick figure of a man running from six assailants, or a man running to house 6 in Singapore, where Sixth Avenue is residential, or shop six in Sixth Avenue in New York in the USA, to collect his wife.
With the aid of that memory aid, I can now recall the number six. It previously eluded me. I tried counting the number of strokes to draw or write the symbol for six, but they were not six strokes. The new memory aid works perfectly, instant recall, running man is six.
King in King Albert Park DT6
I can read two more signs, inspired by the Chineasy pictures, on Singapore's MRT train station map. The crown is on the king, three horizontal lines with a connecting line down. The symbol looks a bit like a crown turned on its side.
The Hill In Hillview DT3
On the Singapore MRT (train) map I can see that on the blue Downtown line, station DT3 is called Hillview. On the Chinese station index DT3 starts with hill or mountain symbol. So the second symbol must be view. But what is the third?
The Chinese names are longer, with an extra symbol. I noticed the last symbol in every station name is the same. The last sign is the word for station. (Yes, I reverse checked it on Google to see what came up.)
Go back to DT6, King Albert Park Station. After the symbol for king, the three horizontal lines, comes the square symbol for Park. So now we know three of the six symbols, king, park, station. That's enough to see at a glance - here's my stop!
The Garden in Botanic Gardens DT9
Two stations further on from is DT (DT stands for Downtown Line), yes DT7, Botanic Gardens. The symbol for park and garden is the same in the train stations using the words park or garden in the English. The symbol reminds me of an enclosed space, a square. The Garden symbol looks like the number four, but with something inside it, trees or flowers or people, whatever you like to imagine the lines inspire in your mind's eye.
The Malay words on the Botanical Gardens station mean Garden followed by flower. The adjective comes second in Malay.
Botanic Gardens is a busy Interchange. The Downtown line and the Circle line cross. Sometimes the train pulls in and you cannot see the English, only the Chinese. Less panic now. I am less likely to miss my stop, too busy reading the train map to look at the passing stations!
Game On Train
Here's a game to amuse yourself when you are alone on a train. You can entertain another polyglot (learner of several languages). You can show students, or children.
Add Lessons
It would be quicker and easier for me to find a teacher of Chinese or enroll in a class in Mandarin at Community Centre in Singapore or at the YMCA, as well as buying the Chineasy course. I am now inspired by this modest success to go further.
Classes At Community Centres?
I travel so much that I am never around for the first class of a series. I would lose out by missing the last class. I suspect, or half remember, that they won't let you start in the middle. You can't take classes if you miss the first basic introductory one, even if you have paid, because then you are behind and asking the teacher questions or not following.
You don't learn so you don't praise the teacher and class. Besides, the class looks deserted to passers-by, and the teacher and pupils are demoralised if people don't turn up.
If I had my life all over again, I would sign up for a class my first week in a new country. I think it beats ex-pat blues and homesickness. You make friends with other pupils, have a mentor in the teacher, and feel in control. The stay overseas is giving you a gain.
But thanks to Chineasy, and my own persistence, I am now on the road to learning Chinese symbols. And so are you.
You can buy a Chineasy app, or a Chineasy book. They are on Amazon and Ebay.
I looked in all the shops in Singapore for children's books teaching simple Chinese. The only one I found was a book teaching the words for mother, father and a couple more family relationships. So Chineasy and lessons are the way to go.
You can download a Chineasy ap for your phone. The first eight levels are free. For more you have to subscribe. They have 150 levels and growing. I agree with one commentator that I always prefer to pay for a block rather than enter any regular monthly payment.
Useful websites
Wikipedia explain what Chineasy will and won't do. The app gets you started with the free system and ready to sign up for the paid system if you wish to continue on a regular basis.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See my other posts on learning languages, and meeting polyglots. If you would like an entertaining speech for a group, business, club, expat, such as Get Started In Chinese, please contact me.
