Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Listening’ category

  1. 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.

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  2. 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.

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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?

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  5. 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them

    Tones in Mandarin are tricky, and students face many different kinds of problems. Identifying the type of problem is important for fixing it.

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  6. The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese in 2025

    Videos are ideal for learning Chinese. The visual element makes the content more comprehensible and engaging, resulting in effective and enjoyable learning. But what videos should you watch? What are the best YouTube Channels?

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  7. Chinese speaking challenge, March 2025

    Chinese speaking ability

    It’s time for a speaking challenge! It starts on March 10th, so enrol, set your goal and improve your speaking ability 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 improving speaking ability in Chinese.

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  8. Love and language: Challenges and opportunities in learning Chinese with a partner

    Some say that dating a native speaker is the ultimate shortcut to fluency. “You’ll learn effortlessly with a teacher always by your side!” But is learning Chinese with a partner really the silver bullet it’s often made out to be?

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  9. The Input Pyramid: Chinese Listening for Any Situation

    Most students of Chinese find listening comprehension a challenge. To truly become a fluent listener, use the Input Pyramid to rethink and upgrade your listening practice!

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  10. Student Q&A: February, 2025: Improving listening ability quickly, using transcripts, and understanding rapid Mandarin

    How do you improve listening ability as quickly as possible? Are there any strategies to deal with rapid speech? And how many times should you listen before using a transcript?

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