Whimsical takes on Chinese characters

Beauty in freshness

Some netizens have commented that Lena seems to understand the beauty of Chinese characters even better than many Chinese people.

"It's because you all are used to seeing the characters," Lena responded, adding that the reverse is also true. For example, she learned from her Chinese friends that the letter combination "orz" looks like a person kneeling and bowing in apology — whereas in English, it carries no meaning.

"It was kind of the opposite thing where I had never considered," she said. "I think that's just what comes with a non-native speaker looking at certain letters they're not used to seeing."

As Lena prepares to share more character-inspired art on Xiaohongshu, her story highlights a universal truth: language is more than just words — it's about connection and seeing the world through someone else's eyes. As she points out, that's also the spirit behind UN Chinese Language Day — celebrated on April 20 — which promotes linguistic diversity and multilingualism.

"The day inspired a lot of people to examine their own language in new ways and find creativity and beauty in it," she said.

Her work resonates with the day's mission, showing how creativity can transcend language barriers. She also encourages Chinese learners around the world to engage with native speakers.

"It's more fun if you are teaching them your language and they're teaching you theirs at the same time because then it's more of a cultural exchange," Lena said.