Good Characters Announces the Chinese Character of the Year 2023
Good Characters, the California-based expert naming consultancy specializing in Chinese languages, announces 生 (shēng, pronounced shung) as the Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2023.
Why Was 生 (shēng) Chosen?
The character 生 (shēng), symbolizing birth and growth, originates from the pictographic representation of vegetation (艸) emerging from the earth (土). It perfectly encapsulates the transformative emergence of generative (生成式, shēng chéng shì) AI in 2023. The rapid rise of generative AI, especially platforms like ChatGPT, has swiftly gained widespread public awareness and attracted hundreds of millions of users in a remarkably short period. Its development, years in the making, signifies a major birth (誕生, dàn shēng) in the field of AI, marking its first significant impact on public consciousness.
Generative AI, capable of generating (生成, shēng chéng) and producing (產生, chǎn shēng) text, images, audio, and videos in response to prompts, represents more than just a technological breakthrough. It offers the potential for an exponential increase in productivity (生產力, shēng chǎn lì), presenting promising solutions to many of the world’s pressing challenges.
However, generative AI is still in an iterative developmental phase, reflecting other meanings of 生 (shēng), such as being unripe or raw. It presents both benefits and potential safety risks. Key concerns are centered around its impact on people’s livelihoods (生計, shēng jì), particularly regarding future job displacement. Consequently, AI has become part of the broader discourse on workers’ rights and the future of work, as highlighted by labor strikes in 2023. These issues underscore the need for cautious regulation and responsible development.
Just as 生 (shēng), in its pictographic form, depicts vegetation emerging from the earth, generative AI has emerged through the processing of complex algorithms and handling large amounts of data. Its development relies on the use of high-end chips made from silicon, an element found in the earth.
In 2023, on the international front, India became the world’s most populous country, surpassing China, which was grappling with declining birth rates (出生率, chū shēng lǜ). These contrasting demographic trends in India and China illustrate different aspects of 生 (shēng).
As we ponder the future, the journey from generative AI to artificial general intelligence (AGI) remains uncertain. Our hope is that AI will bring more opportunities (生機, shēng jī) than challenges. In a broader context, this period of rapid AI advancement could be seen as a kind of rebirth (重生, chóng shēng) for societies worldwide, reshaping how we live, work, and interact in the coming years.
In conclusion, the selection of 生 (shēng) as the Chinese Character of the Year 2023 encapsulates the essence of a year characterized by significant births and growth, influencing both America and the world. This character not only symbolizes the literal aspects of birth and growth but also encompasses broader themes of change, adaptation, and potential, reflecting advancements in generative (生成式, shēng chéng shì) AI and demographic shifts in India and China. Looking ahead, 生 embodies our collective hope and cautious optimism, serving as a reminder of the continuous cycle of renewal and the endless possibilities that come with embracing change.
Chinese Character of the Year 2023
The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2023 is 生 (shēng), symbolizing birth and growth, and distinctly echoing the emergence and impact of generative (生成式, shēng chéng shì) AI, a defining technological advancement of the year.
A Brief History
In 1995, the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society began its annual announcement of the kanji of the year. Kanji are the Chinese characters adapted for the Japanese language. Kanji quite literally translates to kan-: Han Chinese and -ji: characters.
December 12 was designated Kanji Day, the date the society announces its annual Kanji of the Year, because 1212 can be read as いい字一字 (ii ji ichi ji), literally good character one character, meaning “one good character” in Japanese.
Eleven years later, in 2006, China began the tradition of announcing the Chinese Character of the Year. Subsequently, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Macao, and eventually Hong Kong each started to select their own Chinese character of the year. The Character of the Year serves a similar purpose to the Word of the Year as announced by prominent organizations such as the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and the American Dialect Society. Much like the Word of the Year encapsulates key societal trends, ideas, and public sentiments, the Character of the Year is chosen to reflect the significant events, thoughts, and prevailing attitudes of the year through a single Chinese character.
In 2017, after another 11 years, Good Characters, as specialists in Chinese language brand naming, decided it would be fitting to designate a Chinese character of the year from an American perspective.
“We thought it would be fitting to have a Chinese character of the year from the American perspective,” said Andy Chuang, Chinese naming expert and founder of Good Characters. “After all, Chinese is the third most-spoken language at home in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau.”
By introducing the Chinese Character of the Year from an American viewpoint, Good Characters not only highlights the relevance of the Chinese language in the U.S. but also promotes the influence of American perspectives within the Chinese-speaking world, enhancing the dynamic interplay of ideas and viewpoints across these diverse cultures.
Previous Chinese Characters of the Year by Good Characters
The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2022 was 滅 (miè, pronounced mieh), meaning to extinguish, to exterminate, or to perish.
Discover why 漲 (zhǎng, pronounced jahng), meaning to rise or to go upward, was chosen as the Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2021. This selection reflects significant trends and events of that year, offering a unique lens through which to view the cultural and societal shifts of the time. To delve into the story behind this intriguing choice, read the full analysis here.
Explore the significance of 抗 (kàng, pronounced kahng) — embodying resistance, defiance, and the spirit of combat — chosen as the Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2020. This character captures the essence of a year marked by challenges and the global populace’s resilience. To understand the depth and context of this powerful symbol, delve into the full story here: The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2020 was 抗 (kàng, pronounced kahng), meaning anti-, resist, fight, combat, disobey, defy, or refuse.
The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2019 was 亂 (luàn, pronounced lwahn).
The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2018 was 戰 (zhàn, pronounced jahn).
The Good Characters Chinese Character of the Year 2017 was 狂 (kuáng, pronounced kwahng).