Question

Why is setting type using alphabet letters easier than setting type using chinese characters?

Answer 1

Just consider the number of Chinese characters. They number in tens of thousands and to be functionally literate you need to know between 3 to 4 thousand of them. So just imagine how hard is to fit that sheer number of characters anywhere. The other thing considering physical typesetting, Chinese characters are far more complex in shape and are much harder to create.