Articles published in January 2014

1. Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation

   

   When learning to pronounce tones in Chinese, it makes sense to focus on words rather than single syllables. Most words in Mandarin are disyllabic and since practising these will also include tone changes (sandhi), focusing on tone pairs is recommended. This article gives you all HSK and TOCFL words, sorted by tone! First all [first tone] + [first tone], then all [first tone] + [second tone] and so on. This is great for students who need words to practise difficult combinations, but it’s also useful for teachers.

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2. Easing yourself into reading novels in Chinese

   

   Reading a novel in Chinese is the goal for many learners, but perhaps it’s easier to accomplish than you think. This article discusses various methods of making novel reading easier in Chinese, mainly focusing on the benefits of re-reading books you are already familiar with and know you like because you’ve read them before in your native language.

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3. A language learner’s guide to wuxia novels

   

   Wuxia can be used as a key to both Chinese language and culture. This article is meant to be a guide to second language learners. If you want to read wuxia in Chinese, where do you start? How do you approach these novels? How do I find one which isn’t too hard? You will find the answers here!

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4. Wuxia, a key to Chinese language and culture

   

   Wuxia is something genuinely Chinese and is great for learning both about the culture and the language. in this article, Sara K. introduces wuxia to Chinese learners and explains what it is, why it’s relevant for learners and how to get started with wuxia if you find it interesting.

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5. 25 books I’ve read in Chinese, with reviews and difficulty ratings

   

   I set the goal of reading 25 books in one year. This article is about the 25 books I read and is meant to serve as encouragement and inspiration. You might also find a book or two you want to read yourself! At the end of the article, I discuss my reading habits in general as well.

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