--- title: "Asian languages are on the rise. One reason: cartoons - The Hustle" description: Pop culture is leading younger generations to study Asian languages. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1579561743-final_size-Duolingo_Languages_20220404031204.webp --- # Asian languages are on the rise. One reason: cartoons ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: April 04, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 The most studied languages don’t change often. English, Spanish, and French consistently lead the pack. ![Asian languages are on the rise. One reason: cartoons](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1579561743-final_size-Duolingo_Languages_20220404031204.webp?width=595&height=400&name=1579561743-final_size-Duolingo_Languages_20220404031204.webp) But that could change if a new trend continues. **Asian languages are on the rise** — Chinese and Japanese are the fastest growing languages in the US and UK in 2021, [per Duolingo](https://blog.duolingo.com/2021-duolingo-language-report/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20Asian%20languages%E2%80%94especially,in%20the%20U.S.%20and%20U.K.). While the reasons for Chinese are less clear, the surge in Japanese — which saw [**80%+**](https://www.wsj.com/articles/japanese-language-learning-anime-manga-cartoons-comics-11647959639?mod=hp_featst_pos5) learner growth on Rosetta Stone in 2020 — is led by a younger crowd who attribute their interest to: - **Cartoons**, like manga and anime, which have [grown](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-02-28/icv2-report-u.s-manga-sales-more-than-doubled-in-2021/.183103) in popularity in the US. - **Pop culture**, which Japan influences through fashion, food, music, and travel. **Other languages, like Korean, **have seen culturally-driven spikes in popularity, thanks in part to shows like “Squid Game.” (Google [searches](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=million%20in%20korean) like “million in Korean” spiked dramatically after its release.) Historical scholars, take note — perhaps all you need for Latin to be cool again is a solid TV show. Topics: [International](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/international) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![The world was already horrifying — technology is making it more so](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/457134246-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-tech_20231010211706.webp) ### The world was already horrifying — technology is making it more so - ![Meta vs. Canada is a long pattern of dismantling news](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1038385209-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-newspaper_20230823220232.webp) ### Meta vs. Canada is a long pattern of dismantling news - ![Neom’s got a trillion problems but $1T ain’t one](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1078135884-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Neom_20230601223946.webp) ### Neom’s got a trillion problems but $1T ain’t one - ![Will the Russia conflict reshape the world economy as we know it?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1571680389-News-Brief_2022-03-11T004719.753Z.webp) ### Will the Russia conflict reshape the world economy as we know it? - ![What the heck is a golden passport?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/311992015-HS-News-Brief_2022-10-04T002907.219Z.webp) ### What the heck is a golden passport? - ![7-Eleven in Japan dials convenience up to… well, eleven.](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1071715948-HS-News-Brief_2023-03-16T000302.590Z-scaled.webp) ### 7-Eleven in Japan dials convenience up to… well, eleven. - ![The drama around India’s richest man](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1050891866-HS-News-Brief_2023-01-31T005739.723Z-1024x1024.webp) ### The drama around India’s richest man - ![Is India Apple’s next frontier?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/33849681-HS-News-Brief_2023-01-24T003327.742Z.webp) ### Is India Apple’s next frontier? - ![China’s economy slowed down in 2022](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/289722014-HS-News-Brief_2023-01-19T233148.866Z.webp) ### China’s economy slowed down in 2022 - ![Why foreigners can’t buy Canadian homes](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1791726117-HS-News-Brief_2023-01-05T010416.672Z.webp) ### Why foreigners can’t buy Canadian homes Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. Always free. 100% fresh. No bullsh*t. JOIN FREE ### 100% Free CRM Nurture and grow your business with customer relationship management software. Signup for a free account Close modal ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Rob Litterst", "url" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/rob-litterst" }, "datePublished" : "2022-04-04T10:15:48.000Z", "headline" : "Asian languages are on the rise. One reason: cartoons", "image" : [ "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1579561743-final_size-Duolingo_Languages_20220404031204.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/04042022-asian-languages", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" } } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "#article", "@type" : "NewsArticle", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Rob Litterst", "url" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst" }, "dateModified" : "2023-10-11T20:10:37+0000", "datePublished" : "2022-04-04T10:15:48+0000", "headline" : "Asian languages are on the rise. One reason: cartoons", "image" : [ "https://7355427.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7355427/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1579561743-final_size-Duolingo_Languages_20220404031204.webp" ], "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 112, "url" : "https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/Blog%202021/Images/Logos/HubSpot%20Logo%20112X112.svg", "width" : 112 }, "name" : "HubSpot", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/hubspot", "https://twitter.com/hubspot" ], "url" : "https://www.hubspot.com" }, "speakable" : { "@type" : "SpeakableSpecification", "xPath" : [ "//title", "/html/head/meta[@name='description']/@content" ] } } ```