Articles in the ‘Advanced’ category
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The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water is open!
Develop essential Mandarin listening skills with my course, The Fluent Listener. Enrol now for lifetime access to video lessons, curated resources, tailored guidance, and a supportive learning community.
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Chinese listening challenge, June 2026
Enrol in this month’s Chinese listening challenge, starting June 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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How to make Chinese easier by using mnemonics and memory techniques
Mnemonics are clever memory techniques that can be used to memorise everything from decks of cards to speeches, but how do you use them to learn Chinese?
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Learn Chinese by playing Chinese chess (象棋, xiàngqí)
Chinese chess, or 象棋 (xiàngqí), is more than a classic strategy game. It’s a fun, practical way into Chinese language and culture.
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The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2026
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!
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Effective progress or experience points? The double-edged sword of measuring your Chinese learning
Measuring your Chinese progress is a double-edged sword: it can keep you motivated, but it can also tempt you to chase numbers that don’t reflect real progress.
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How to not memorise Chinese characters: The anatomy of bad mnemonics
Mnemonics are clever memory techniques that help you remember everything from PIN codes to Chinese characters. Good mnemonics make learning easier, but bad ones can distract you or even hold you back.
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Improve your Chinese conversations by listening to the listener
The obvious way to learn Mandarin is to listen to a person speaking the language. The less obvious way is to listen to the person who isn’t speaking in a conversation. What can you learn by listening to the listener?
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Chinese reading challenge, August 2026
It’s time for a Chinese reading challenge! It starts on August 10th, so enrol, set your goal and read as much as you can before the end of the month. This article contains more information about the challenge, as well as some advice about improving reading ability in Chinese.
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Which Chinese language course should you take?
The answer to the question of which Chinese language course you should choose is that it depends. But what does it depend on, and how do you make the right decision about which course to take?
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