Ask HN: Why do Chinese datasheets have these iconic serif fonts?

Posted by npgatech on Saturday October 07, 2017 @10:28PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I've compiled a few random screenshots here: https://imgur.com/a/S5PyL

I've always wondered this. Sometimes the font is Times New Roman (perhaps a default in Chinese operating systems?) and sometimes it is this iconic font (https://i.imgur.com/2OX6RgY.png) that is not to be found in the west.

It is so prevalent that Shenzhen I/O, an assembly programming game used same fonts in their mock datasheets: https://www.pdf-archive.com/2016/10/10/shenzhen-io-manual/preview/page/30/

( 3 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Why do Chinese datasheets have these iconic serif... by lurenjia on Wednesday October 11, 2017 @10:54PM (#15455349)

The font is SimSun. It is the default font in Windows XP simplified Chinese version and is ubiquitously used in China.

https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/中易宋体

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Re:Ask HN: Why do Chinese datasheets have these iconic serif... by arkitaip on Saturday October 07, 2017 @10:37PM (#15426736)

I've wondered about this for years! Japanese tends to have similar class of fonts, e.g. plain/old school looking serif fonts. Metafilter seems to have pretty good answers [0].

[0] https://ask.metafilter.com/87263/Why-does-Chinese-printing-o...

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Re:Ask HN: Why do Chinese datasheets have these iconic serif... by billconan on Saturday October 07, 2017 @10:59PM (#15426780)

because times new roman doesn't support Chinese characters. there are other Chinese fonts do support english characters. you are probably looking at the english characters rendered by a default Chinese font.

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