Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Recommended resources’ category

  1. Interview: Insights from Skritter’s Complete Guide to Learning Chinese

    If I wrote a comprehensive guide to learning Chinese with a special focus on vocabulary, what would it look like? Now you can find out – for free!

    Read →

  2. The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2024

    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!

    Read →

  3. Outlier Chinese Character Masterclass review: Understand more, learn faster, remember longer

    Mastering Chinese characters, whether you find them enchantingly beautiful or overwhelmingly complex, is essential for literacy in Chinese. Outlier Linguistics will help you understand how the Chinese writing system works, making it easier to learn!

    Read →

  4. Best of Hacking Chinese 2023

    2023 has been a consistent year on Hacking Chinese, with new articles and podcast episodes every week. What was the most popular article? The most popular podcast episode? Let’s summarise the year that was and highlight the things you really shouldn’t miss!

    Read →

  5. Black Friday discounts for Hacking Chinese courses

    Don’t miss the forest for the trees! Let my courses be your guide to successful learning, now with $10 off until the end of Monday, November 27th! Already enrolled yourself or not interested at the moment? Get one as a gift for someone else, or help me out by spreading the word!

    Read →

  6. 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!

    Read →

  7. 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. 

    Read →

  8. 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?

    Read →

  9. Skritter review: Boosting your Chinese character learning

    Skritter is a modern tool for learning ancient characters. It combines research-based methods such as active recall and spaced repetition with great Chinese-specific tools and content. While it’s not a free resource, it has enough edges over more generic, free services to be worth it in my opinion.

    Read →

  10. How learning some basic theory can improve your Mandarin pronunciation

    Listening, mimicking and getting feedback is the best way to learn Chinese pronunciation, but unless you’re a small child or extremely talented, adding some theory to the mix can also be helpful.

    Read →