Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles published in August 2023

  1. How long do you have to study Chinese to make it useful?

    For some, the allure of Chinese lies in language and culture, but for many, practical utility is more important. So, how long do you have to study Chinese to make it useful?

    Read →

  2. Back-to-school discounts for Hacking Chinese courses, 2023

    Hacking Chinese can seen as a very long response to the question of what I would have done differently if I could go back in time and learn Chinese again from scratch. However, most people don’t want to read 800,000 words to get the full picture, which is why I have distilled all that into a few courses. Get $10 off for a limited time!

    Read →

  3. Should you throw away your Chinese textbook?

    Many students rely on textbooks to learn Chinese, but is this a good idea? Some people say that to unleash your full potential, you should throw your textbook away.

    Read →

  4. Chinese translation challenge, August 2024

    It’s time for a translation challenge! It starts on August 10th, so enrol, set your goal and improve your Chinese by translating to/from Chinese as much as you can before the end of the month. This article contains more information about the challenge, some important things to keep in mind as well as some advice about using translation as a method for learning Chinese.

    Read →

  5. Hacking Chinese Podcast three-year anniversary Q&A

    This is a Q&A to mark the third anniversary of the Hacking Chinese Podcast! Should you drop everything you’re doing to learn Chinese for one year? How should you approach reading at an intermediate level? And how do you choose the best resources for learning?

    Read →