Radical perception and reliance in Chinese character recognition by L2 Chinese learners: A comparison of alphabetic, Japanese, and Korean learners

Aims: This study investigated the impact of the native language (L1) writing system and Chinese proficiency on Chinese character recognition among second-language (L2) Chinese learners. We focused on L2 learners’ perception of and reliance on orthographic, phonological, and semantic information conveyed by radicals in character recognition. Methodology: Two hundred and fourteen L2 Chinese learners using L1-alphabetic, Japanese, and Korean writing systems, classified at intermediate and advanced levels of Chinese proficiency through a cloze test, participated in a picture-pseudo-character matching task. Data and analysis: Participants’ scores on pseudo-characters were analyzed using mixed-design analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and compared across learners’ L1 writing systems and Chinese proficiency. Findings: L2 Chinese learners’ L1 writing system and Chinese proficiency significantly affect their perception and reliance on radicals during character recognition. Alphabetic learners rely more on phonetic radicals than semantic radicals in character recognition, while Japanese learners rely more on semantic radicals than phonetic radicals, regardless of the radicals’ positions. Korean learners demonstrate an equal reliance on semantic and phonetic radicals when radicals are in conventional positions, but they prefer semantic radicals in unconventional positions. Intermediate and advanced learners of the same L1 exhibit similar patterns of radical reliance. In addition, advanced learners are more sensitive to radicals’ conventional positions than intermediate learners. Originality: This study extends previous research on sublexical processing of L2 Chinese characters by employing an optimized experimental design and participant categorization. Significance/implications: This study contributes to bilingual visual word recognition research by exploring L2 Chinese character recognition patterns by L2 learners with different L1 writing systems and Chinese proficiency. The findings provide valuable insights into L2 Chinese teaching.