Visual Distinctiveness and Chinese Character Recognition: A Systematic Literature Review of Character Simplification Studies

ZHE HENG; KHAZRIYATI SALEHUDDIN

doi:10.17576/gema-2026-2603-17

Visual Distinctiveness and Chinese Character Recognition: A Systematic Literature Review of Character Simplification Studies

ZHE HENG, KHAZRIYATI SALEHUDDIN

Abstract

The 1950s Chinese character simplification reform reduced the visual complexity of thousands of characters; yet, its effects on character recognition remain poorly understood. This systematic literature review examined how visual features influence Chinese character recognition. A systematic search of four databases yielded 29 empirical studies. The findings show that visual distinctiveness is multidimensional in Chinese character recognition, involving stroke-level features, component and radical structure, spatial configuration, spatial transparency, and global form, with effects shaped by character frequency, reader expertise, and task demands. However, the evidence is insufficient to determine the direct effects of simplification. Stroke reduction may support early visual processing, whereas component merging may weaken distinctiveness, but neither effect has been directly tested. Only one study included both simplified and traditional characters, and none examined simplification as an object of investigation. The main methodological limitations were the use of a single script within individual studies, reliance on stroke count as the main measure of visual complexity, samples dominated by adult university students, and heavy reliance on behavioural measures. Overall, the claim that simplification does not necessarily improve recognition remains untested. Future research should adopt comparative designs, multidimensional measures of visual form, and broader participant samples to determine whether and how simplification has changed the visual demands of Chinese character recognition.

Keywords: Chinese character recognition; visual distinctiveness; character simplification; visual complexity; systematic literature review

Reformasi pemudahan aksara Cina pada tahun 1950-an telah mengurangkan kerumitan visual bagi beribu-ribu aksara; walau bagaimanapun, kesannya terhadap pengecaman aksara masih kurang difahami. Sorotan literatur bersistematik ini dijalankan untuk mengkaji bagaimana ciri-ciri visual aksara Cina mempengaruhi proses pengecaman. Pencarian sistematik daripada empat pangkalan data telah menghasilkan 29 kajian empirikal. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa keunikan visual dalam pengecaman aksara Cina adalah bersifat multidimensi. Pengecaman dibentuk oleh ciri-ciri peringkat strok, struktur komponen dan radikal, konfigurasi ruang, ketelusan ruang, dan bentuk global. Walau bagaimanapun, bukti yang ada ini tidak mencukupi untuk menentukan kesan langsung pemudahan tersebut. Pengurangan bilangan strok mungkin menyokong pemprosesan visual awal, manakala penggabungan komponen mungkin melemahkan keunikan visual, namun kedua-dua kesan ini belum pernah diuji secara langsung. Hanya satu kajian sahaja yang melibatkan kedua-dua jenis aksara—yang dipermudahkan dan tradisional—dan tiada kajian yang meneliti pemudahan itu sebagai fokus utama penyelidikan. Kekangan metodologi utama termasuk penggunaan satu jenis skrip sahaja dalam setiap kajian, pergantungan kepada bilangan strok sebagai ukuran utama kerumitan visual, sampel yang didominasi oleh pelajar universiti dewasa, serta pergantungan yang tinggi terhadap ukuran tingkah laku. Secara keseluruhannya, dakwaan bahawa pemudahan aksara tidak semestinya meningkatkan keupayaan pengecaman masih belum diuji. Penyelidikan masa hadapan wajar menggunakan reka bentuk perbandingan, ukuran multidimensi bagi bentuk visual, serta sampel peserta yang lebih pelbagai untuk menentukan sama ada dan bagaimana pemudahan aksara dapat mengubah proses pengecaman aksara Cina.

Kata Kunci: Pengecaman aksara Cina; ketidaksamaan visual; pemudahan aksara; kerumitan visual; sorotan literatur bersistematik

Keywords

Chinese character recognition; visual distinctiveness; character simplification; visual complexity; systematic literature review

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/gema-2026-2603-17