Difference Between Chinese Abacus and Japanese Soroban
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Have you ever wondered about the difference between Chinese and Japanese abacuses?
Many people confuse them, or use their names interchangeably, which is incorrect.
The difference between a Chinese abacus and a soroban is actually quite minor, both in their operation and their underlying principle, which remains the same:
The Chinese abacus uses 7 beads per rod, while the Japanese abacus uses 5.
Their shape is different, and once you know the difference, it's very easy to determine whether it's a Chinese suanpan or a Japanese soroban.
But let's explore further why this difference exists.
The Chinese Abacus - Suànpán 算盘
The Chinese are historically considered the inventors of the abacus around 500 BC.
The Chinese abacus is structured horizontally into 2 parts:
5 unit beads on the lower part, 2 five-unit beads on the upper part.
Why?
Because the Chinese abacus is adapted for counting in base-16 (hexadecimal), which is not really relevant for the vast majority of users today. (This is why these beads were removed from the Japanese abacus).
To learn more about the Chinese abacus, we recommend this excellent article on the origins of the Chinese abacus.
The Japanese Abacus - Soroban - (算盤) そろばん
For a long time, the Japanese used the Chinese abacus, which, like many elements of Japanese culture, was initially inherited from China.
However, around the 17th century, the Japanese abacus, called the soroban, began to appear.
It retains the principle of the Chinese abacus but reduces the number of beads to only 1 five-unit bead on the upper part and 4 unit beads on the lower part.
Ultimately, in operation, the 2 extra beads are not necessary for counting in the decimal system (base-10).
By reducing the number of beads, the Japanese abacus is simpler and more efficient for counting in base-10. However, the Chinese abacus can also be used like a Japanese abacus by ignoring 1 bead on each side.
Aside from this aspect, performing calculations is done the same way on both the Japanese and Chinese versions of the abacus:
Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, and all other arithmetic operations.
In any case, regardless of the type of abacus used, they are fantastic calculation tools, ideal for learning to count or perform mathematical operations. Once you get the hang of it, you can perform calculations on it faster than with a calculator. And not just basic operations, but complex ones involving large numbers and decimals (provided the abacus has enough rows for the decimal places).
Incidentally, today, even in China, it is the Japanese form of the abacus that is most commonly used.
By the way: did you know that other civilizations, including the Romans, used the abacus parallel to the Chinese?
To learn more and discover the different types of abacuses that exist, we invite you to read our latest article on the History of the Abacus.
If you are looking for a Chinese or Japanese abacus, we highly recommend you browse our collections.
