Debate on traditional and simplified Chinese characters

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Debate on traditional and simplified Chinese characters
A noodle shop sign in Sichuan, China, which uses a mix of traditional and simplified Chinese characters.
Traditional Chinese	漢字簡化爭論
Simplified Chinese	汉字简化争论
Literal meaning	Chinese character simplification debate
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hànzì jiǎnhuà zhēnglùn Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Hon3zi6 gaan2fa3 zang1leon6
Traditional-simplified debate
Traditional Chinese	繁簡之爭
Simplified Chinese	繁简之争
Literal meaning	Complex-simple dispute
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Fánjiǎn zhīzhēng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Faan4gaan2 zi1zang1
Traditional-simplified debate
Traditional Chinese	正a簡之爭
Simplified Chinese	正简之争
Literal meaning	Proper-simple dispute
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhèngjiǎn zhīzhēng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Zing3gaan2 zi1zang1

Chinese characters
Chinese family of scripts Written Chinese Kanji Hanja Chữ Hán
Evolution of script styles Neolithic symbols in China Oracle bone Bronze Seal Large Small Bird-worm Clerical Cursive Semi-cursive Regular Flat brush Modern typefaces Fangsong Ming Hei
Properties and classification Components Strokes order Radicals Orthography jiu zixing xin zixing Digital encoding
Collation and standards Kangxi Dictionary forms (1716) Commonly Used Characters (PRC, 2013) Commonly-Used Characters (Hong Kong, 2007) Nan Min Recommended Characters (Taiwan, 2009) Standard Form of National Characters (Taiwan, 1982) Jōyō kanji (Japan, 2010)
Reforms Simplified characters second round Traditional characters debate Japanese script reform kyūjitai
Homographs and readings Literary and colloquial readings Kanbun Idu
Variants Zetian characters
Derived systems Kana man'yōgana hiragana katakana Jurchen script Khitan large small Nüshu Bopomofo Slavonic transcription
Transliteration of Chinese
v t e

The debate on traditional Chinese characters and simplified Chinese characters is an ongoing dispute concerning Chinese orthography among users of Chinese characters. It has stirred up heated responses from supporters of both sides in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and among overseas Chinese communities with its implications of political ideology and cultural identity.^[1] Simplified characters here exclusively refer to those characters simplified by the People's Republic of China (PRC), instead of the concept of character simplification as a whole. The effect of simplified characters on the language remains controversial, decades after their introduction.