It's the best analogy I can think of, perhaps you have a better one. Note that when I say "draw Mickey Mouse" I mean the rote reproduction of the standard iconi

It's the best analogy I can think of, perhaps you have a better one. Note that when I say "draw Mickey Mouse" I mean the rote reproduction of the standard iconic character - not the creative act of drawing an original picture. A well-known corporate logo might be a better example but I couldn't think of any complex enough. As for left-brain/right-brain, I doubt that's a useful distinction here (if indeed it's useful anywhere). But that aside, I don't think it's correct to suggest that native speakers process Han characters just like English. See for example: http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/123/5/954.full.pdf http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/123/5/954.full.pdf