Online Chinese tutors discuss the influence of Chinese language context on design
By Leah Buley

~ 26 Jan 2023 ~

The language is perhaps the one that stands out the most right away. Contrary to Western languages, Chinese utilizes rectangular characters made up of several strokes and is logogrammatic, highlighting how complicated the language is. It occupies less space on a page than an alphabetical language like English yet is more aesthetically sophisticated. However, because typing can be challenging (because of the many characters), it's typical to see all actions and alternatives available; surfing, rather than searching, is the preferred behavior. The efficiency with which information can be scanned has risen with the visibility of all of it, yet to a Westerner who is unaccustomed, this may look chaotic and congested. There is a minimal hierarchy in the language, which contributes to the cluttered character. There are few capital letters, spaces, italics, and available typefaces in Chinese characters. Bonus tip: Never use a font smaller than 12pt since there may be difficulties with readability with logogrammatic letters and it may be difficult to tell the difference between the strokes. 

About High-context language more from online Chinese tutors

Chinese culture is renowned for being very contextual, which means that in order to properly understand what has been said, a person must understand the larger context. This is because the language in China is rich in nuance and seldom uses just one character or word. The majority of the West, however, uses low-context languages like the English language, where a "no" is a "no." English is a much more plain and straightforward language. In addition, sentences using high-context language must have a deeper meaning. The answer may also depend on who said what and when. Conversations make non-verbal clues like voice intonation, eye contact, and facial emotions considerably more obvious. We advise that you attend at least a few lessons with online Chinese tutors in order to comprehend the context of the Chinese language and all the complexities of spelling. Even if you are a top-notch designer, linguistic ignorance can cause serious mistakes in product development. The context must be taken into account, particularly when dealing with various nations. In the end, there is increased information density, which may be seen as better use of screen space.

Complexity

Quantity and complexity are evident not just in the language but also in the design itself, and they are frequently signs of a more complete and greater experience. In China, "less is more" might be seen as lacking and inferior; instead, it's more along the lines of "more is better." Porter Erisman made a fascinating point in Six Billion Shoppers. "Designers in the West adhere to the belief that a website's usability hinges on a clear, uncluttered, minimalist layout that drowns out distractions and encourages visitors to make an online purchase. These same designers are frequently surprised to see local websites in China that embrace vivid colors, dramatic animations, and a more crowded style. The hypothesis is that Chinese users of the internet behave differently because their everyday lives in Shanghai are so dissimilar from those of people in, say, Sweden. Chinese consumers are accustomed to the hectic retail scene epitomized by Nanjing Road. But to go to a store in rural Sweden, a customer may spend an hour driving along a peaceful country road, taking in the peace of countryside interrupted by a few red cottages and cows. Despite the fact that this is the case, it seems that things are slowly shifting as younger generations become more global and align with Western design trends that are established by companies like Apple to a more basic and simple appearance. Another element that is frequently seen on websites is gamification. It may be seen on social networking platforms, as well as on travel and even e-commerce websites. It is a really well-liked technique that increases retention and engagement. This might be related to the greater rates of gambling in Asian societies, which could highlight how superstitious the majority of Chinese people are. The proverb "If you don't gamble, you don't know how lucky you are" is common in Chinese culture