South Korea and China have long maintained close cultural exchanges, and the demand
for Chinese language learning in South Korea has continued to grow in recent years.
Derivational words are an important part of the Chinese vocabulary system and play ...
South Korea and China have long maintained close cultural exchanges, and the demand
for Chinese language learning in South Korea has continued to grow in recent years.
Derivational words are an important part of the Chinese vocabulary system and play a
key role in vocabulary expansion and language use. However, Korean learners often face
difficulties in acquiring and using Chinese derivational words, resulting in various types
of errors. Focusing on this issue, the present study explores the acquisition and instruction
of Chinese derivational words among Korean learners. It seeks to identify major learning
difficulties and their causes, and to offer pedagogical suggestions for Chinese language
teaching in South Korea.
Firstly, this study provides a review of the existing literature on derivational words in
Chinese and Korean academia. Through a systematic examination of previous studies, it
summarizes the main research achievements and developments in this field, thereby
establishing the theoretical foundation for the present study.
Drawing on Language Transfer Theory, the Input Hypothesis, and Interlanguage
Theory, and taking into account the linguistic characteristics of Chinese derivational words, this study examines the main difficulties Korean learners face in acquiring and
using Chinese derivational words.
Drawing on corpus data, this study investigates the use of Chinese derivational words
by Korean learners. The findings indicate that learners often encounter difficulties in
word formation and frequently produce errors involving affixes and roots. These
problems are largely associated with first-language transfer, incomplete mastery of
derivational patterns, and insufficient language input.
Furthermore, with reference to the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for
International Chinese Language Education, this study investigates the distribution of
derivational affixes and examines their presentation in Chinese textbooks used in Korea.
By comparing localized and general Chinese textbooks, it analyzes differences in affix
coverage, frequency, and exercise design, and summarizes several common issues related
to the teaching of derivational words. Finally, based on the above analyses, this study
proposes improvements for teaching materials and offers several instructional strategies.
It also provides concrete examples of pedagogical applications by taking five affixes as
case studies.
This study aims to bridge theory and practice. In addition to enriching research on the
acquisition and teaching of Chinese derivational words, it offers practical and actionable
pedagogical implications for the instruction of Chinese derivational words among Korean
learners of Chinese, thereby contributing to the improvement of Chinese language
teaching in South Korea. Keywords: Korean learners of Chinese; Chinese derivational words; error analysis;
textbook analysis; teaching strategies