Zev Handel (he/him/his)

Professor

Chinese Program Coordinator

Korean Program Coordinator

Contact Information

GWN 225

Fields of Interest

Asian writing systems Chinese Chinese Dialectology Comparative Linguistics comparative Sino-Tibetan linguistics Historical Linguistics Historical Phonology Linguistics Tibeto-Berman languages Writing Systems

Biography

Ph.D. Chinese Language, University of California, Berkeley, 1998

M.A. East Asian Languages, University of California, Berkeley, 1992

A.B. Mathematics, Harvard College, 1988

Curriculum Vitae (202.62 KB)

Current Research Projects:

Comparative study of the development of Sinographic (Chinese-character based) writing systems in Asia.
History of the Northern Min dialects of Fujian Province.

Research

Selected Research

Courses Taught

Spring 2025

CHIN 540 A: Seminar in Linguistics

Winter 2025

CHIN 531 A: Introduction to Historical Phonology

Autumn 2023

Autumn 2022

Winter 2022

CHIN 531 A: Introduction to Historical Phonology

Autumn 2020

CHIN 540 A: Seminar in Linguistics

Spring 2020

ASIAN 404 A: Writing Systems

Winter 2020

Autumn 2019

Winter 2019

Autumn 2018

Spring 2018

Winter 2018

Resources & Related Links

Affiliations

Home Department

Asian Languages & Literature

Related News

Related News

Prof. Zev Handel Interviewed for New Books Network and Asian Review of Books Podcasts (May 5, 2025)
Washin Kai 2024 Spring Lecture Delivered by Professor Zev Handel (April 18, 2024)
Asian L&L hosts our first Korean Sign Language colloquium (December 18, 2020)
Letter from the Chair - Fall 2020 (August 19, 2020)
Asian L&L Welcomes New Chair, Professor Zev Handel (August 12, 2020)
Applications to the Chinese Flagship Program are open! (August 5, 2020)
Watch the Chinese Flagship Information Session video! (May 15, 2020)
Asian Languages and Literature to Host Chinese Flagship Program (April 20, 2020)
8th grade Chinese learners from Mercer International Middle School visit the Chinese Program at UW (June 4, 2019)
Professor Zev Handel publishes new book, Sinography: The Borrowing and Adaptation of the Chinese Script (March 6, 2019)
Watch: Prof. Zev Handel delivers the 71st Societas Koreana Lecture on "The Hidden Influence of Chinese Characters and Words on Korean Vocabulary and Writing" (January 3, 2018)
Zev Handel Presents on Chinese Characters at University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute (August 5, 2017)
Encyclopedia of Chinese Language and Linguistics (January 17, 2017)
Fourth Workshop on Sino-Tibetan Languages of Southwest China Held at University of Washington (December 30, 2016)
Departmental Faculty Shine Brightly in UW's Interdisciplinary Honors Program (June 7, 2016)
Zev Handel Gives Talk to Accelerator Physicists in South Korea (June 7, 2016)
AL&L hosts unprecedented number of lectures (June 1, 2010)
China summer programs modified to increase cultural contact (June 1, 2010)
Faculty publication explores the pronunciation of ancient Chinese and beyond (June 1, 2010)
Faculty News 2010 (June 1, 2010)
AL&L marks a century of growth in Asian studies (June 1, 2009)
AL&L inaugurates language exchange in Sichuan (June 1, 2009)
Centennial Celebration (October 1, 2008)

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