Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Recent articles about how to learn Mandarin Page 2

  1. Chinese listening challenge, September 2024

    Enrol in this month’s Chinese listening challenge, starting September 10th! Listen more and learn more through daily practice and friendly competition. This article contains more information about the challenge, as well as tips for what to listen to and how to get the most out of it.

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  2. Back-to-school course discount, 2024: Getting the most from Hacking Chinese in 2024

    Hacking Chinese can seen as a very long response to the question of how to learn Mandarin in a better way. However, most people don’t want to read a million words to get the full picture, which is why I have distilled my advice into a few courses. Get $41 off two of my courses before the end of August!

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  3. Three things I wish I had known as a beginner student of Chinese: The time machine, part 1

    I started learning Chinese more than 15 years ago. Here are three things I wish I had known as a beginner!

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  4. The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners

    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?

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  5. Student Q&A, August 2024: Avoiding mental translation, untranslatable words and why practising translation is good

    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?

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  6. 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.

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  7. Insights from my recent trip to China: The importance of top-down listening

    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.

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  8. Chinese character variants and font differences for language learners

    Small details sometimes matter when writing Chinese characters, but sometimes they don’t. Figuring out which details to pay attention to is made even harder by character variants and font differences!

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  9. Hacking Chinese meet-up in Beijing, July 18th 2024

    It’s time for a Hacking Chinese meet-up in Beijing! It’s the first time I visit China since before the pandemic, so I’m looking forward to meeting people interested in learning or teaching Chinese based in or around Beijing. The meet-up will be held on July 18th in the evening.

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  10. Why you should preview before every Chinese lesson

    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.

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