Real Chinese - Mini-guides - Chinese characters

Are Chinese characters used only in the Chinese-speaking world?

No, Chinese characters are still taught and used in Japan, and to a lesser degree in North and South Korea.

Chinese language, customs and culture have had a long influence on the history of both Japan and Korea which adopted Chinese characters before they developed their own writing systems.

Although both Japanese and Korean now have their own scripts, students in these countries will learn around 2,000 characters, which still carry a certain prestige.