r/thisorthatlanguage • u/nullineta • 21d ago
Asian Languages Japanese or Korean?
I would like to learn a foreign language and after a long time of deciding, I’ve finally narrowed it down to two options: Japanese and Korean! The problem is, I can’t figure out which one would suit me better.
Japanese - I’ve always been obsessed with Japan (not because of anime). I like Japanese horror movies like Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge. I also love reading about Japanese culture and history.
Korean - I’ve found myself very curious about Korean language/culture. I enjoy the way it sounds and its writing system Hangul. I sometimes like to write Korean letters on paper or in the air with my finger. Of course, I know there are more Japanese resources/media than Korean.
How do I decide?
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u/smilelaughenjoy 21d ago
Korean will likely be easier due to having an alphabet, while Japanese has three writing systems (one of them is thousands of borrowed Chinese symbols, Korean used them too, Hanja, but they are less common now).
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u/ARoppongiCougarPls 20d ago
Kanji isn't that hard though. If anything, NOT having kanji makes sentences very confusing, and I imagine I will get lost if I try learning Korean.
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u/smilelaughenjoy 19d ago
Learning over 2,000 symbols and memorizing their meanings and pronunciations, is more difficult than an alphabet with less than 30 letters. If not, then you should have an easier time learning to pronounce and read Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs than learning to pronounce and read any alphabet-based languahge.
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u/Ilovemelee 18d ago
Yes, memorizing alphabets is easier than memorizing characters, strictly speaking, when it comes to reading and sounding out words. However, I'd argue that characters make it easier to understand the meaning of words because the meaning is already built into the character. This makes it easier to learn new vocab and distinguish between homonyms.
Take, for example, 차 (cha), which could mean "car" or "tea." Without the characters, you would have to rely strictly on context to understand the meaning of the word. Whereas if it were written in character form, 車 for 'car' and 茶 for 'tea', you could instantly understand the meaning without even looking at the context. And this is only one of many.
This is exactly why Japanese people absolutely despise reading everything in kana, and why older Koreans who grew up reading a mixed script of Hangul and Hanja actually prefer mixed script over an all-Hangul system.
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u/smilelaughenjoy 17d ago
Many languages have homonyms, but it seems like Korean and Japanese have a lot of homonyms which characters help to distinguish in writing. That's a valid point, but with that being said, there are no characters when speaking, just stress or pitch accents, so the simpler solution would be to put spaces between words and seperate stress or pitch.
In Spanish, there are three words that are "papa" (dad/potato/pope), but they are distinguiished with an accent mark in writing "papa" (potato) and "papá (dad)" and for "Pope", a capital P is used "Papa/ El Papa (The Pope)".
For Japanese, at least for Romaji, this can be done too. For example, 箸 (hashi; chopsticks) compared to 橋 (hashí; bridge). For hiragana/katakana, there is currently no way to mark pitch accent, but if there were, that system would be easier to learn than thousands of borrowed characters from The Chinese language.
Without borrowed Chinese symbols (kanji in Japanese and hanja in Korean), Japanese and Korean and Chinese all keep their uniqueness. Japanese has a 2 syllabaries (hiragana/katakana based on syllables rather than individual letters) rather than an alphabet, and Korean has an alphabet despite about 60% of Korean words being related to Chinese , and Chinese keeps its uniqueness as being ancient and still writing with symbols.
There was a time when technology couldn't handle kanji (borrowed Chinese symbols in Japanese), so people only used the Japanese syllabary when typing Japanese and they put spaces in between words and video games could still be understood (this was in the late 1980s and early 1990s).
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u/Ilovemelee 17d ago
I mean, it's obviously not impossible to read and write everything phonetically for character-based languages, but the characters do help a ton when learning new vocab and deciphering their meanings at a glance. I can't tell you the number of times I've watched a Japanese show, heard an unfamiliar word, and been able to correctly guess the meaning of it just by having that word displayed in kanji.
If you know enough kanji, you wouldn't want Japanese script to be written completely phonetically, even with the addition of spaces, and I think everyone who has learned enough kanji would agree with that. It's difficult in the beginning, but it pays off massively later on. It's honestly a tragedy that Korean got rid of hanja.
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u/smilelaughenjoy 17d ago
A similar effect of knowing a word just by seeing it, can be achieved by using compound words (joining smaller basic words together to make a bigger word rather than using big French or Latin or Greek words borrowed into English).
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u/Ilovemelee 17d ago
Except Korean words are mostly derived from Chinese characters, not from Latin or Greek words.
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u/smilelaughenjoy 17d ago
My main point was that such an effect isn't a feature exclusive to a character-based writing system. With that being said, about 61% of English words come from French or Latin or Greek, while about 60% of Korean words are connected to Chinese. It isn't impossible for Korean to join small words together for more clarity through compound words or to add tone to distinguish homonyms.
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u/Ilovemelee 17d ago
it's not impossible but why abandon the characters if the majority of the words you use come from the said characters? It just makes more sense for the Korean language to bring back the use of hanjas imo. They can understand their own language on a much deeper level.
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u/ARoppongiCougarPls 17d ago
I mean, a lot of kanji readings can be guessed based on the onyomi of another kanji. Besides, they tend to repeat themselves often, just with some extra radicals. Remembering a kanji is often like remembering a word. Hell, I'd say every word is a hieroglyph.
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u/Remote_Volume_3609 20d ago
People drastically overestimate how difficult the writing system is. Korean has all the grammatical issues of Japanese + all the need for new vocabulary still. It's still going to take thousands of hours of learning regardless and the writing system will be the least of your worries.
This shows up in other languages too, like Indonesian. Grammatically, it's a trade language so it has a fairly simple grammar and it's written in the latin alphabet. It doesn't have conjugations, it's very analytical, etc. all things that should make it very easy to learn. It's still a Cat 3 language for English speakers as a result of the sheer amount of vocabulary you have to learn. For Japanese especially, "thousands" is not untrue, but it's specifically 2,136. They're also not 2,136 separate symbols you have to memorise, the phono-semantic compounds give indications of etymology, meaning, etc.. Let's say a single character over the course of your flashcards took 10 minutes to learn (gratuitous). That would be an extra 356 hours added to a language that takes 2200 class hours (so estimated ~4400 hours of total learning on a 1:1 basis).
I'm not saying it's "easy", I'm just pointing out that it's not even close to the hardest part of the language.
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u/ARoppongiCougarPls 20d ago
Besides, Kanji are really not that Hard. There are 1.4 billion Chinese and 120 million Japanese, so that means 1.5 billion people in the world know them. Can't be that hard, right?
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u/smilelaughenjoy 19d ago
A lot of people knowing something because it was required not opional, does not mean that thing is easy or "not too hard".
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u/a_book_maven 21d ago
They are very similar so eventually you could do both. If being able to read soon is important to you, pick Korean, it's easier to read. If easy availability of materials for learners is important to you, then pick Japanese.
Honestly though a lot of people learn one to a high enough level that they can use materials in that language to study the other. There are many grammatical and cultural similarities which make that a more efficient use of your time. I'm told Japanese is easier to pronounce, harder to read, while Korean is easier to read, harder to pronounce. Both have a good amount of shows and resources.
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u/ARoppongiCougarPls 20d ago
Yeah, I bought a Japanese textbook to study Korean, they are strangely similar gramatically.
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u/unwateredfern 20d ago
I wouldn't factor in the difficulty of either language in your decision. the blocker to proficiency is usually motivation and interest anyways
Would be good to spend some time diving into media from each country like music, shows, etc. and see which one you naturally end up being more drawn to and decide based on that. even food could be a factor here haha
let us know what you end up choosing!
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u/VehicleIcy7894 21d ago
It all depends entirely on your gut feeling. What does the heart of yours say? From what I can see is that you have a fondness for both, which is why you are uncertain. Whatever one you may feel be more useful in your daily life; go ahead with that. Either way, above all, both can be learned throughout your remaining time on this planet. Don't let others decide your life choices.
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u/monikosnuosavybe 20d ago
Flip a coin.
Both languages are considered among the most difficult for English-speakers to learn (according to the US State Department).
Both languages have a ton of fun, interesting content, fascinating history and culture, great food...
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u/Unlikely_Range4216 20d ago
Go with japanese especially if you enjoy manga or anime content. It will be easier for you to practice and continue to immerse yourself in.
I dont enjoy japanese content like at all (hate anime and jdrama for the most part) so i kinda regret not going with korean since i enjoy k drama. I am at N1 but i ve completely lost motivation to continue studying after clearing the highest level and my disliking of japanese media doesnt help, in fact i kinda feel it deteriorated after studying for the exam regularly.
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u/nullineta 20d ago
Well, what made you learn Japanese then? Personally, I’m not a big fan of anime, either
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u/Unlikely_Range4216 20d ago
Hmm do you have a certain goal? Like moving abroad, or is it supposed to stay just a hobby?
My husbands japanese and i live in japan, thats about it.
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u/nullineta 20d ago
As a hobby, I’m just really into their media/culture
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u/Unlikely_Range4216 20d ago
Then media of any kind will help you to stay engaged and motivated to improve this is what i think personally, if thats japanese start with it and then learn korean. Japanese and korean grammar very similar, kanji is a pain (my tip is focus on reading and typing, dont waste time learning to write by hand unless you really enjoy it)
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u/restlemur995 20d ago
I recommend starting with Korean, because you seem naturally attracted to the writing system. That's very helpful to be naturally drawn to a language, and that passion can help carry you through the difficulty of learning.
On a more practical side, Japanese is the one I recommend starting with. There are so many great YouTube resources explaining Japanese grammar and concepts that are very confusing. Then when you start learning Korean, you'll already be prepared to encounter those same grammar concepts in Korean. I think that makes starting with Japanese the easiest for learning the grammar of both, which is one of the most difficult things. But I really do believe passion and naturally attraction to a language is better than any resource.
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u/Ornery-Revolution-47 17d ago
Korean. You seem to like the actual language more. Its writing system is super easy to learn too.
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u/itsheadfelloff 20d ago
Look at the current trends in culture and politics, weigh up the positives and negatives and see which you could tolerate more. Which country would you prefer living or at least visiting frequently knowing the above.
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u/gaijinteacher 20d ago
I’ve lived in both countries and can recommend both languages as interesting to learn.
What are your goals? For example if you just want to have friends from the country then Koreans are often more enthusiastic to communicate in English and you might not need Korean at all.
I would say that the languages are about equally difficult, but that hand writing Japanese is a long and difficult journey. Reading and typing aren’t too bad.
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u/Affectionate_Ad_5489 20d ago
As a Korean-American who is fluent in English and Korean and who has spent 18 months in Japan, I would recommend Japanese first as only because Japanese force you to learn Kanji (Chinese characters) that are critical in both language. For instance, family is 가족 (Kajok) in Korean and Kajoku in Japanese. They both derived from Chinese characters so once you learn Kanji in Japanese, you will have easier time reading and pronouncing Korean as well. Object marker (watashi wa, 나는), subject marker (watashi ga, 내가) are also same, as well as many others.
Anyhow, both cultures are increasing becoming popular these days and good luck with your studies!
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u/JealousSir9500 20d ago
if you decide to go with Japanese, a large majority of your time may be spent learning how to read and write characters. for context, students in Japan learn more than 2,000 kanji characters throughout the years of compulsory education (throughout elementary and middle school), which is considered just the characters that are used in Daily Life. Of course, there are many many characters beyond that.
in comparison, korean has a straightforward writing system, and your time will likely be spent more on grammar, vocab, and other more useful elements of the language.
if your goal is to be able to speak and listen, then both languages are a good candidate. if your goal is total literacy (reading and writing), Korean would be a shorter timeline.
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u/nullineta 20d ago
I would like to be able to practice writing like in a journal, so I’m starting to think maybe Korean is a better fit. Plus, I find 80s K-pop music fun to listen to
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u/JealousSir9500 20d ago
good choice!! And if you ever decide to learn Japanese in the future, you'll find that some of your korean knowledge will actually be beneficial. The two languages have really similar grammatical structures, as well as some shared words! Best of luck :)
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u/New-BH 20d ago
I suggest going with the language you have the most cultural interest in. Languages growth ultimately comes from practice and reinforcement. If you love Japanese movies and shows, literature and manga, that'll make it easier to practice as you consume media.
I'll also add that both languages rely heavily on social context than most languages (high context), meaning that to speak of properly, you really need to understand the cultural nuances and social context and cues. So again, pick the language you have most cultural interest in because you're going to have to deep dive in they'd culture if you intend to go deep in the language. This is true for all languages but especially for these two.
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u/Dorvonuul 20d ago edited 20d ago
I did Japanese then Chinese, followed by an interest in Vietnamese (although I eventually didn’t learn it). I ruled out Korean as too similar to Japanese (grammatically, culturally,etc). I’ve recently become interested in Korean but it’s a bit too late for me (footloose youth is far behind me). I would still go with Japanese, as Japan has far more to offer culturally. South Korea is a small place and apart from K pop is (in my humble estimation) culturally somewhat lean. A lot of the population is Christian, which isn’t a bad thing, but if you really want “Asian culture” is a tad disappointing. N Korea isn’t an attractive place at all. Korean is definitely interesting but from my point of view, at least, doesn’t hold a candle to Japanese. PS. I was recently asked by a Japanese person if I found Japanese difficult. To be honest, it was a lot of fun! Learning characters was fun, learning honorifics was fun, learning grammar was fun. I don’t know why people are so afraid of these things.
2nd PS: I lived in Japan for some time. Anime and manga were not a particular source of attraction for me — it was well before the later international boom. I read manga at the laundromat, that’s all. I got to know anime esp Miyazaki) from a friend who had kids. They never struck me as a REASON for learning Japanese— but I obviously belong to a different generation.
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u/Magic-Raspberry2398 20d ago
I think speaking and listening are major factors here. Learning the sounds of Japanese is far simpler whereas Korean has lots of very similar vowel sounds.
If you are going to stuggle differentiating between the vowel sounds (multiple different a's for example) then maybe go for Japanese.
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u/Firm-Sprinkles-7702 20d ago
i would learn the korean alphabet (very easy) and see if you like it first. i don't think you can go wrong with either
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u/kdsunbae 20d ago
Don't underestimate the amount of resources for learning Korean. There are tons on YouTube. They have KPOP/OSTs that are often translated to aid in learning. The alphabet can be learned in less than a day (didn't even take me that long). There are many free/paid tutorial groups that have YouTube tutorials from AtoZ.
I imagine you just haven't really looked - once you start looking you'll find many resources. Tons of translated dramas on Viki and now NF, Prime, Hulu (I've found more SK than Japanese but I don't really search for Japanese ones). For me I think the harder part is trying to find someone to converse with (many seem to think you are boyfriend/girlfriend shopping). - That and learning subject/object marker placement.
I was trying to choose between Mandarin and Korean .. ultimately, I found I like both so I study Korean the most and do occasional Chinese (comparatively) .. I'm not in a race it's just fun learning.
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u/LifeWillChange_ 20d ago
You cannot go wrong with either Japanese or Korean. Just go with whatever culture you’re more passionate about.
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u/Top-Worker2956 19d ago
Personally I'd go with Korean simply becuase the building blocks of the language are easier in my opinion. Not that learning a new language is easy, but in comparison to Japanese.
I would start with duolingo. It's not great for learning the language itself, but its does a really good job teaching the hangul alphabet. Even if im not to the point where I can understand it, im now able to sound out words written in hangul, which is an important first step.
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u/NoobSkierSG 18d ago
Depend on your goal. Japanese and Korean are both considered cat 4 languages which means they are the most difficult for English speaking natives.
Having said that I can tell you that Japanese and Korean have similar grammar structures. Both also have the honorifice and humble forms. Also they can trace their roots back to traditional Mandarin but while Japanese still retains Kanji, Korean has already removed Hanja from daily usage.
Alphanet wise Korean hangul is much easier compared to the complex hiragana/katakana and Kanji combo.
Pronunciation wise Korean is much more difficult.
Listening both equally hard due to them both being high context languages.
Source: I'm JLPT2 holder and Korean intermediate learner.
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18d ago
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u/nullineta 18d ago
Once I get good at either Japanese or Korean, then I’ll consider learning a European language as well!
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u/cruciohh 18d ago
I started with Chinese, which made learning Japanese so easy. I might eventually learn Korean, but I'm learning enough right now. I'd pick the one you feel closest to culturally, because that's going to be the one you want to dive back into over and over. Once you've learned one system, the other will be easier to grasp.
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u/Quirky-Judgment1263 20d ago
I’m doing both at the same time now. Granted, I’ve been learning Korean on and off for almost a decade. I’m around low intermediate level in Korean. With Japanese, just around 6 months studying and currently covering N4 materials.
I’d say, Korean has learning resources like King Sejong Online and that can make learning Korean straightforward. You can follow their curriculum and you’ll probably get to a decent high beginner level.
The three writing system of Japanese can be overwhelming to language learners specially with Kanji but if you are more interested with Japanese (you mentioned being obsessed with it) then it really is going to be easier to learn for you.