汉字 (Chinese characters) are the written symbols used in the Chinese language. They are logograms, meaning each character represents a word or a meaningful part of a word. There are thousands of 汉字, and they can be combined to form phrases and sentences. Each character has its own pronunciation and meaning, making them essential for reading and writing in Chinese. The history of 汉字 dates back over 3,000 years, evolving from ancient pictographs. Today, 汉字 are used not only in Mandarin but also in other Chinese dialects. Learning 汉字 can be challenging due to their complexity, but they are a vital part of Chinese culture and communication.