Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Beginner’ category

  1. Don’t learn Mandarin pronunciation by reading, listen and mimic instead

    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!

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  2. Course discount: Hacking Chinese Pronunciation: Speaking with Confidence

    Hacking Chinese Pronunciation: Speaking with Confidence will help you speak Mandarin clearly and naturally. Get $31 off if you enrol before the end of October 13!

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  3. Student Q&A, October 2024: Pronouncing the final -i after sh-, the initial z- and if Pinyin is a good transcription system

    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?

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  4. Chinese pronunciation challenge, October 2024

    It’s time for a pronunciation challenge! It starts on October 10th, so enrol, set your goal and see how much you can improve your pronunciation before the end of the month. This article contains more information and inspiration about the challenge and how to improve your pronunciation!

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  5. How to use YouTube and other video platforms to learn Chinese

    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?

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  6. YouGlish: A free service to hear and see Chinese words in context

    Context matters. 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.

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  7. Student Q&A, September 2024: Slowly spoken Chinese, passing listening exams and understanding numbers

    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?

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  8. 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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  9. 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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  10. 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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