Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Intermediate’ category

  1. How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions

    Having a tutor can be great for learning Chinese, but how much progress you make depends as much on you as on the tutor. Come prepared, stay engaged, and make the most of each session!

    Read →

  2. 8 myths about learning Chinese that are holding you back

    Believing the wrong things about learning Chinese can waste time and lead you astray. Let’s explore eight myths that might be holding you back!

    Read →

  3. Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 7: How to navigate different types of listening in Mandarin

    Listening is an essential skill in language learning, but not all listening situations are the same. By recognising different types of listening situations and understanding what each requires, you can improve your chances of successfully navigating spoken Mandarin.

    Read →

  4. Welcome to The Fluent Listener, a new course from Hacking Chinese!

    Develop essential Mandarin listening skills with my new course, The Fluent Listener. Enrol by June 6 for lifetime access to video lessons, curated resources, tailored guidance, and a supportive learning community.

    Read →

  5. Chinese listening challenge, June 2025

    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.

    Read →

  6. Student Q&A: June, 2025: Beginner listening, group conversations, and Chinese news

    How do you get started with listening in Mandarin? What makes group conversations so challenging? And is it true that news broadcasts in Chinese are harder than in other languages?

    Read →

  7. Will Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin?

    Is it worth spending time learning how to learn Chinese, or should you focus all your effort on engaging with the language more directly? The answer is that it depends, but the longer your time frame, the more important it becomes to tweak your method.

    Read →

  8. Zi.Tools: A powerful free resource for exploring Chinese characters

    Zi.Tools is a great free resource for exploring Chinese characters. See what it offers and how you can use it to boost your learning!

    Read →

  9. Chinese vocabulary challenge, May 2025

    It’s time for a vocabulary challenge! It starts on December 10th, so enrol, set your goal and learn as many characters and words as you can before the end of the month. This challenge is sponsored by Skritter, so there are also prizes on the line! This article contains more information about the challenge, some important things to keep in mind as well as some advice about learning Chinese characters and words.

    Read →

  10. Student Q&A: May, 2025: Learning Chinese characters and words with flashcard apps

    Should you focus on many words superficially or few words well? How do you stay motivated when flashcards get boring? And how can you tell if you really know a word?

    Read →