1. Character Shape and Complexity:
* Chinese: Characters tend to be more square and simpler in shape, often with fewer strokes. They have a more "blocky" appearance.
* Japanese: Characters are often more elongated and complex, with a greater number of strokes. They tend to have a more "flowing" look.
2. Vertical Writing:
* Chinese: Primarily written vertically, columns going from right to left. The text flows from top to bottom.
* Japanese: Can be written both vertically and horizontally. Horizontal text flows from left to right, like English.
3. Presence of Hiragana and Katakana:
* Japanese: Contains two phonetic scripts alongside kanji (Chinese characters):
* Hiragana: Cursive, flowing characters representing syllables.
* Katakana: Angular, blocky characters also representing syllables, often used for foreign words and emphasis.
* Chinese: Doesn't use hiragana or katakana.
4. Punctuation:
* Chinese: Often uses full stops (periods) at the end of sentences, similar to English.
* Japanese: Often uses a single "。" (maru) at the end of sentences.
5. Specific Characters:
While it's not always foolproof, certain characters are more common in one language than the other:
* Chinese: Characters like "國" (country), "人" (person), and "家" (home) are frequently seen.
* Japanese: Characters like "日" (sun), "本" (book), and "月" (moon) are common.
Important Notes:
* Variations: There are various dialects and writing styles within both Chinese and Japanese.
* Context: The context of the text can help distinguish between the languages. For example, a menu might be Japanese, or a news article might be Chinese.
Practice is Key: The more exposure you have to both Chinese and Japanese writing, the easier it will become to differentiate them at a glance.