Hacking Chinese

A better way of learning Mandarin

Articles in the ‘Advanced’ category Page 12

  1. 500 resources for learning and teaching Chinese, tagged by level, topic and type

    Finding the right resources for learning and teaching Chinese can be tricky considering how much there is on offer. How do you find resources suitable for your level, apps designed to help you meet a particular challenge, or information and advice in general? You go to Hacking Chinese Resources, of course, which features 500 resources for learning and teaching Chinese, tagged by level, topic and type.

    Read →

  2. How to start learning Chinese again after a break

    Are you picking up Chinese again after a break, and struggle to find the words and characters? Does spoken Mandarin sound vaguely familiar but incomprehensible? Then this guide will help you get back on track!

    Read →

  3. How to survive and thrive in a difficult Chinese course

    How do you survive a Chinese course that’s too hard for you, regardless if you ended up there on purpose or because of circumstances? What are the key strategies to ensure you stay afloat and learn as much as possible?

    Read →

  4. Learning Classical Chinese is for everyone (no, seriously!)

    Classical Chinese is something all learners will encounter, whether it’s because it’s part of a course you take, because you’ve started learning formal, written Chinese or simply because you want to read the Art of War, the Analects or Tang poetry. How can you learn Classical Chinese and what resources should you use?

    Read →

  5. Is taking a Chinese course that’s too hard good for your learning?

    Chinese has a reputation for being hard to learn and it can be even harder if you take a course that is above your level. But why would you do that? What are the potential pros and cons of deliberately seeking out a learning environment where just keeping your head above water will be hard?

    Read →

  6. Best of Hacking Chinese 2021

    2021 was an eventful year on Hacking Chinese, but which were the best articles? The most popular podcast episodes? Let’s summarise the year that was and highlight things you really shouldn’t miss!

    Read →

  7. How to improve fluency in Chinese by playing word games

    What if I told you that there is a game that helps you speak Chinese more fluently, is great for improving communicative ability and works well regardless of your current level? What if I said that the game is also fun and free to play?

    Read →

  8. The building blocks of Chinese, part 6: Learning and remembering compound words

    Compound words in Chinese can look confusing at first, but once you see the patterns, learning and remembering them becomes much easier.

    Read →

  9. The building blocks of Chinese, part 5: Making sense of Chinese words

    How many characters do you need to know to be able to read Chinese? The truth is that characters only provide a foundation, so regardless of how many you know, you won’t be able to read much unless you also know many words.

    Read →

  10. Why spaced repetition software is uniquely well suited to learning Chinese characters

    While spaced repetition software can be very useful, it also has some serious drawbacks. Fortunately, most of them don’t apply to learning to write Chinese characters!

    Read →