Don’t try to learn pronunciation by reading. Instead, the best way to improve is to listen to and mimic native speakers. Focusing too much on how sounds are written down can actually make it harder to hear them! #learnchinese #pronunciation #pinyin #labels Link to article: Don’t learn Mandarin pronunciation by reading, listen and mimic instead: htt…

How is the Pinyin final -i pronounced after sh? How is the initial z- pronounced compared to z in English? And is Pinyin a good transcription system for learning pronunciation? #learnchinese #pronunciation #q&a #pinyin #initials #finals Link to article: Student Q&A, October 2024: Pronouncing the final -i after sh-, the initial z- and if Pinyin is a…

YouTube and similar platforms offer a vast treasure trove of content that can help you learn Chinese, whether you're watching videos in Chinese or exploring content about language and culture. But how can you get the most out of this resource at different stages of learning? #learnchinese #youtube #video #input Link to article: How to use YouTube a…

Traversing the intermediate Chinese learning plateau requires a shift in focus. Here are three pieces of advice for intermediate learners of Mandarin. #learnchinese #intermediate #timemachine #learningstrategies Link to article: Three things I wish I had known as an intermediate student of Chinese: The time machine, part 2: https://www.hackingchine…

How words are pronounced and used depends on context, but traditional learning materials lack the diversity to prepare you for real-world Chinese. Fortunately, YouGlish is a great tool for studying language in context. #learnchinese #pronunciation #context #youtube #usage Link to article: YouGlish: A free service to hear and see Chinese words in co…

Should you slow down the Mandarin you listen to? How can you prepare for difficult listening exams? And how can you understand Chinese numbers in context? #learnchinese #rateofspeech #slowaudio #exams #listening #numbers Link to article: Student Q&A, September 2024: Slowly spoken Chinese, passing listening exams and understanding numbers: https://w…

There are over 500 articles and more than 1 million words on Hacking Chinese. How are you supposed to absorb all that information and inspiration as a student? Let’s discuss how to get the most out of my website and podcast! Back-to-school course discount, 2024: https://www.hackingchinese.com/back-to-school-hacking-chinese-course-discount/ Tags: #l…

I started learning Chinese more than 15 years ago. Here are three things I wish I had known back then, as a beginner! #learnchinese #beginner #timemachine #learningstrategies Link to article: Three things I wish I had known as a beginner student of Chinese: The time machine, part 1: https://www.hackingchinese.com/three-things-i-wish-i-had-known-as-…

Listening is the most important skill of all, because it accelerates all other learning and is crucial for social integration. What are the best free Chinese listening resources out there for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners? Link to article: ⁠The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners⁠…

How can you stop translating in your head? What are some Chinese words that can’t be translated? And why is translation a worthwhile learning activity? #learnchinese #translation #mentaltranslation Podcast listener survey: https://forms.gle/tVqRe8gVhoQwj9xM7 Link to article: Student Q&A, August 2024: Avoiding mental translation, untranslatable word…

Understanding Chinese involves more than just knowing words and phrases; it's about using context to interpret meaning. My recent trip to China highlighted the crucial role of top-down listening in navigating dialects, speech patterns, and unexpected questions. #learnchinese #topdownlistening #accents #immersion #context Link to article: Insights f…

Small details sometimes matter when writing Chinese characters, but sometimes they don't. Figuring out which details to pay attention to is made harder by character variants and font differences! #learnchinese #chineselanguage #chinesefonts #languagelearning #chinesetips Link to article: Chinese character variants and font differences for language …

Previewing before Chinese lessons is a simple yet frequently overlooked method to enhance learning. By previewing, you maximise the benefits of each lesson, allowing you to focus on areas where you truly need a teacher's guidance. #learnchinese #preview #class #course Link to article: Why you should preview before every Chinese lesson: https://www.…

The humble notebook is a powerful tool for learners of Chinese. Whether an exquisite leather-bound journal or a digital text file, a notebook offers more than a space to record information about vocabulary or grammar. #learnchinese #notes #notebook #logging Link to article: How I used a notebook to learn more Chinese, and why you should too: https:…

How can you read Chinese faster? Which children's books are best for second-language learners? And what's the ideal entry point into Chinese literature? #learnchinese #reading #q&a #speed #genre Link to article: Student Q&A, July 2024: Reading speed, children’s books and Chinese literature: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-july-2024-readin…

When learning Chinese, your progress depends on three factors: the content you study, the methods you use, and the time you dedicate. To achieve your goals quickly and efficiently, strive to optimise all three! #learnchinese #progress #time #method #content Link to article: The three factors that determine how much Chinese you learn: https://www.ha…

Habits are routines that become smooth and effortless with repetition. By developing the right habits for learning Chinese, you can learn more with less effort! #learnchinese #habit #routine #studymanagement Link to article: Habit hacking for language learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/habit-hacking-for-language-learners/ The best podcasts fo…

Learning the building blocks of Chinese characters is a great idea, but what should learn about each character component? And more specifically, should you learn the pronunciation of radicals? #learnchinese #radicals #pronunciation #components Link to article: Should you learn the pronunciation of radicals? https://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-pron…

How much time should you spend on flashcards? Is Remembering the Hanzi good for learning Chinese characters? And what resources should you use if you want to understand the writing system better? #learnchinese #vocabualry #characters #hanzi #flashcards #heisig Student Q&A, June 2024: How much time on flashcards, Remembering the Hanzi, and resources…

Learning to write Chinese characters by hand takes a lot of time, but in today's digital society, is handwriting even necessary? Let's explore the role of handwriting when learning Chinese as a second language and discuss what a curriculum that caters to all students might look like! #learnchinese #hanzi #handwriting #typing #chinesecharacters Link…

As infants, we perceive the world without filters. Learning our first language, we form categories of sounds, aiding understanding but losing the ability to hear sounds we don’t need. As adults learning a second language, we need to regain this ability. But how? #learnchinese #sounds #tones #perception #training Link to article: Learning to hear th…

Using the right resources is important when learning anything, but it's essential when learning Mandarin pronunciation. Here are 24 great resources, most of them completely free! #learnchinese #pronunciation #resources #free Link to article: 24 great resources for improving your Mandarin pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/24-great-resour…

Why is your teacher is so much easier to understand than anybody else? Should you read transcripts or subtitles before, during or after listening? And why do I refuse to recommend certain podcasts? #learnchinese #listening #teacher #podcasts #transcripts #subtitles Student Q&A, May 2024: Understanding strangers, listening with transcripts, and whic…

Many people assume that the hardest part of learning Chinese must be the characters or the tones, but it turns out that most learners struggle more with listening comprehension. Why is that, and what can you do about it? #learnchinese #listening #comprehension #challenges Link to article: Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 6: Why is listening in Chinese so …

Chengyu are idioms linked to ancient literature. Are they the key to Chinese language and culture or a waste of time? #learnchinese #chengyu #idiom #vocabulary Link to article:⁠⁠⁠ Chengyu, a magic key to Chinese language and culture, or a waste of time? https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-right-chengyu-the-right-way/ The building blocks of …

If I wrote a comprehensive guide to learning Chinese with a special focus on vocabulary, what would it look like? Now you can find out - for free! #learnchinese #studyguide #skritter #vocabulary Link to article:⁠ Interview: Insights from Skritter’s Complete Guide to Learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/interview-insights-from-skritters-…

Is recording and listening to your own Chinese useful for improving your speaking ability? How can you use chengyu to expand your repertoire? And how can role-playing games be utilised to improve your spoken Chinese? #learnchinese #speaking #recording #chengyu #role-playing Link to article: Student Q&A, April 2024: Learning chengyu, listening to yo…

What languages do you speak? Do you speak Chinese? We often use speaking to represent language ability in general, but does that mean that speaking is more important than listening? #learnchinese #speaking #listening #input #output Link to article: Is speaking more important than listening when learning Chinese? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-sp…

Podcasts let you create your own Chinese immersion experience, with level-appropriate stories and authentic conversations. Learn flexibly on the go with the best podcasts for beginners, intermediate and advanced students! #learnchinese #podcasts #listening #beginner #intermediate #advanced Link to article: The best podcasts for learning Chinese in …

A language is a structured system used for communication, so the idea to focus on communication when learning Chinese sounds obvious, but it’s surprisingly new and rarer than you think! #learnchinese #communication #meaning-focused #communicativelearning Link to article: Real communication: What it is, why you want it and how to get it: https://www…

While strong motivation doesn't necessarily accelerate your learning or improve your memory, without it you won't spend enough time learning Chinese. So how can you stay motivated for months, years and even decades? #learnchinese #motivation #sdt #autonomy #competence #relatedness Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to learn Chinese in the l…

How can you improve your ability to read aloud in Chinese? How can you learn to see where a word starts and ends in a text? And how can you make sure you get the most out of your reading practice? #learnchinese #reading #segmentation #chinesetext Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Student Q&A, March 2024: Reading aloud, finding word boundaries, and working a…

Mastering Chinese characters, whether you find them enchantingly beautiful or overwhelmingly complex, is essential for literacy in Chinese. Outlier Linguistics will help you understand how the Chinese writing system works, making it easier to learn! #learnchinese #characters #hanzi #course #reviewSocial media and sharing Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Learning to hear and pronounce the tones in Mandarin as an adult learner can be tricky, but with the right methods, anyone can do it! #learnchinese #tones #mandarin #pronunciation Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/⁠⁠ Hacking Chine…

Are perfect tones necessary to communicate in Chinese? Or can you ignore tones and still be understood? Or does the truth lie somewhere in between? #learnchinese #tones #mandarin #pronunciation Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/⁠ Hacki…

Learning tones is a unique challenge for most learners of Chinese. What are tones? How important is it to learn tones? And how do you learn to both hear and pronounce them? #learnchinese #tones #mandarin #pronunciation Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-ma…

Is it better to practise writing Chinese on a computer or by hand? How do you find the right words when writing? And how can you leverage AI to improve your writing ability? #learnchinese #typing #handrwriting #vocabulary #ai Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Student Q&A, February 2024: Typing or handwriting, using new words in texts, and how to use AI to im…

The more you listen, the more you learn, but listening more is not as easy as it sounds. By building a personal Chinese audio library, you ensure that you always have something suitable to listen to, no matter what situation you're in. #learnchinese #listening #resources #immersion Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen more and learn more by building a perso…

Listening and reading in Chinese can be a challenge, especially when your level is not high enough. To understand more and thereby also learn more, use scaffolding! #learnchinese# listening #reading #comprehension Link to article: ⁠⁠8 great ways to scaffold your Chinese listening and reading: https://www.hackingchinese.com/8-great-ways-scaffold-chi…

In 2023, I published one article and one podcast episode every week. Which was the best article? The most popular podcast episode? Let’s summarise the year that was and highlight the things you really shouldn’t miss! #learnchinese #bestof #hacknigchinese Link to article: ⁠Best of Hacking Chinese 2023: https://www.hackingchinese.com/best-of-hacking-…

Is listening to music a good way to learn Chinese? How can you learn to understand Mandarin spoken in noisy environments? And what if your teacher speaks only Chinese, but you don’t understand what she says? #learnchinese #music #tones #noise #teacher #immersion Link to article: Student Q&A, January 2024: Chinese music, too much Mandarin in the cla…

Chatting online is seldom considered a method for learning Chinese, but it has several unique benefits. While generally regarded as a frivolous waste of time, text-based chatting has a place in even the most serious learning strategy. #learnchinese #chat #text #writing Link to article: 12 ways chatting online will improve your Chinese: https://www.…

Flashcards; some people love them, some people hate them. The goal of Hacking Chinese is to go beyond the black and white and figure out how things work so we can get the most out of them. #learnchinese #flashcards #srs #reading #strategy Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to best use flashcards to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-best…

Flashcards are often viewed as a silver bullet, promising swift mastery of characters, words and more, but relying on flashcards too much has serious drawbacks, and if you’re not careful, they can hinder more than they help. #learnchinese #flashcards #drawbacks #vocabulary Link to article: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why flashcards are terrible for learning Chinese: https…

How many words is reasonable to learn in a day? Will focusing on radicals make this easier? And should you learn simplified or traditional characters, or maybe both? #learnchinese #vocabulary #hanzi #simplified #traditional #radicals Link to article: ⁠Student Q&A, December 2023: How many words to learn, if it’s good to learn radicals, and whether t…

The humble flashcard: A key component in a successful strategy, or a distraction from what truly matters? Few things have sparked as much debate as the use of flashcards for learning a foreign language. #learnchinese #flashcards #vocabulary #srs Link to article: Why flashcards are great for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-flash…

Learning to read Chinese is an achievement in itself, but how fast you can read also matters, regardless of your level. So how do you increase your reading speed in Chinese? #learnchinese #reading #speed Link to article: ⁠Chinese reading speed revisited: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-speed-revisited/ Black Friday, 2023: https://www…

Learning things by heart used to be a mainstay of language education but is now often frowned upon. Is learning things by heart good for improving your Chinese or just a waste of time? #learnchinese #byheart #memorize #recite Link to article: Is learning things by heart good for improving your Chinese? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-learning-thi…

Reading is a great way to build vocabulary, learn grammar and expand your horizons. Here are the ten best free Chinese reading resources for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. #learnchinese #reading #resources #free Link to article: ⁠The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www…

How do you transition from reading Pinyin to reading characters? Are compelling texts better than comprehensible texts? And which tools should you use when reading Chinese? #learnchinese #pinyin #hanzi #comprehensibility #text #tools Link to article: Chinese reading challenge, November 2023: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-challenge/…