Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles published in April 2021

  1. What’s the difference between Chinese pronunciation and Pinyin? Does it matter?

    It’s not uncommon for both students and teachers to treat Chinese pronunciation and Pinyin as the same thing, but they are not, and thinking that they are can lead to certain problems.

    Read →

  2. Learning the second tone in Mandarin Chinese

    Many students of Chinese struggle with the third tone, but almost as many also have problems with the second tone. So how should the second tone be pronounced, and what are the most common learner errors?

    Read →

  3. Chinese input methods: A guide for second language learners

    There are many different input methods available for Chinese characters, including phonetic typing, non-phonetic typing, handwriting and speech recognition, but which method is best for people who study Chinese? And why?

    Read →

  4. Opening the gates to the Hippo Campus*

    On this very special day, I’m proud to announce the opening of the Hippo Campus, a collaboration between a prestigious teacher of Mandarin and Hacking Chinese, offering an online classroom experience suitable for everyone, everywhere!

    Read →