Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Beginner’ category Page 4

  1. The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners

    Reading is the best way to expand vocabulary and learn new things in Chinese. What are the best free resources out there for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners? This article collects and introduces the ten best free reading resources in each category!

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  2. Student Q&A, November 2023: Reading Pinyin or characters, comprehensible vs. compelling content and reading tools

    How do you transition from reading Pinyin to reading characters? Are compelling texts better than comprehensible texts? And which tools should you use when reading Chinese?

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  3. Shapeshifting Chinese characters

    Most Chinese character components are well-behaved; they look the same in different compounds and aren’t hard to recognise. Some components are sneaky, though; they change appearance depending on context! Let’s have a closer look at these shapeshifting characters. 

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  4. You won’t learn Chinese simply by living abroad

    A widespread myth about learning Chinese is that you will master the language simply by moving abroad to live in an immersion environment. However, how much you learn is determined by how much you engage with the language, not by your geographical location.

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  5. 100 hours of Chinese listening in 3 weeks: What I learnt and how to apply it

    The more you listen, the more you learn. That’s why I listened to one hundred hours of Chinese in just three weeks. Here’s what I learnt and how you can apply that to your own learning.

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  6. Chinese pronunciation challenge, October 2023

    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 pronunciation, including prizes on offer for active participants!

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  7. Student Q&A, October 2023: Expanding vocabulary quickly, learning by watching videos and nailing dictation tests

    How do you build a broad vocabulary in Chinese quickly? How do you best use video-sharing platforms to boost your learning? And how should you study to nail all your 听写 or dictation?

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  8. Listen more than once: How the replay button can help you learn more Chinese

    Listening more than once is a simple yet overlooked trick for improving your listening ability in Chinese. By replaying audio, you give your brain more time to process the language, and as a result, you will understand and learn more.

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  9. The cheapest and most convenient way to improve your spoken Chinese

    The cheapest and most convenient way to improve your speaking ability in Chinese is… to talk to yourself! Beyond being both easy and free, it’s more helpful than you might think.

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  10. Improving your Chinese pronunciation by mimicking native speakers

    The best way to improve your Chinese pronunciation is to mimic native speakers. But why, and how exactly should you go about it?

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