To be fair, zero is a complicated number

  • HatchetHaro
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    7 months ago

    wdym complicated? it’s easy!

    壹貳參肆伍陸柒捌玖拾 see? easy!

    • NorthWestWind@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      23
      ·
      7 months ago

      For everyone who don’t know, this is the complicated version of Chinese numbers. In modern days, they are mostly used in writing cheques, because these characters are not as easily modified as the simple version.

      • stebo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        7 months ago

        How do they decide what the complicated character for 7 should be? Why does it include the symbol of a tree? Can natives derive the meaning of a new symbol by its components or are they just as clueless as we are until they learn the word?

        • NorthWestWind@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          7 months ago

          Even as a Hongkonger myself, I have no idea. We just see these characters as ancient numbers.

          Also, if you write 柒 in an informal context, it is considered offensive.