Simplified Chinese and compatibility with spoken Chinese languages using VoiceOver / TalkBack

1. What is simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese?
2. Can Mandarin speakers read simplified Chinese?
3. How to tell the difference between simplified and Traditional Chinese?

What is simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese?

Today, there are two different written forms of Chinese: Traditional and Simplified. Traditional Chinese preserves the orthodox characters that have been used for thousands of years. As its name suggests, Simplified Chinese consists of simplified versions of the traditional Chinese characters.

Can Mandarin speakers read simplified Chinese?

Many Mandarin speakers (PRC), especially under 30, may not read traditional characters, but they will understand the Mandarin audio. Conversely, many speakers of other Chinese oral languages (such as Hong Kongers) may not understand the Mandarin, but they will be able to read the traditional characters.

How to tell the difference between simplified and Traditional Chinese?

The most obvious difference between traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese is the way that the characters look. Traditional characters are typically more complicated and have more strokes, while simplified characters are, as the name suggests, simpler and have fewer strokes.