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?

#learnchinese #listening #beginner #news #conversations

Chinese listening challenge, June 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-listening-challenge/

The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/the-fluent-listener-navigating-mandarin-like-a-fish-in-water/

Links for question 1

The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese in 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/

The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese/

Beginner Chinese listening practice: What to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listening-practice-what-to-listen-to-and-how/

Links for question 2

Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 3: Using what you already know to aid listening comprehension in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-3-using-what-you-already-know-to-aid-listening-comprehension-in-chinese/

Links for question 

Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 6: Why is listening in Chinese so hard?: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-is-listening-in-chinese-so-hard/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Is learning how to learn worth your time, or should you just engage directly with Chinese instead? The answer depends, but the longer your perspective, the more important it becomes to tweak your method!

#learnchinese #how-to #progress #hackingchinese #efficiency

Link to written article on Hacking Chinese: Will reading or listening to Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin? https://www.hackingchinese.com/will-reading-hacking-chinese-help-you-learn-mandarin/

Analyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation’s four strands: https://www.hackingchinese.com/analyse-and-balance-your-chinese-learning-with-paul-nations-four-strands/

Cramming vs. spaced repetition: When to use which method to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/cramming-vs-spaced-repetition-when-to-use-which-method-to-learn-chinese/

Why spaced repetition software is uniquely well suited to learning Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-spaced-repetition-software-is-uniquely-well-suited-to-learning-chinese-characters/

The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/

Memory aids and mnemonics to enhance learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/memory-aids-and-mnemonics-to-enhance-learning/

Learning Chinese is more like walking a thousand miles than running 100-metre dash: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-is-more-like-walking-a-thousand-miles-than-running-100-metre-dash/

You can't learn Chinese characters by rote: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-cant-learn-chinese-characters-by-rote/

Should you learn the names of the strokes in Chinese characters? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-the-names-of-the-strokes-in-chinese-characters/

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chinese-reading-resources-beginner-intermediate-advanced/

The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

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!

#learnchinese #chinesecharacters #hanzi #etymology #analysis #dictionary

Link to written article on Hacking Chinese: Zi.Tools: A powerful free resource for exploring Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/zi-tools-a-powerful-free-resource-for-exploring-chinese-characters/

Zi.tools 字統网: https://zi.tools/

5 levels of understanding Chinese characters: Superficial forms to deep structure: https://www.hackingchinese.com/5-levels-of-understanding-chinese-characters-superficial-forms-to-deep-structure/

The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/

Outlier Chinese Character Masterclass review: Understand more, learn faster, remember longer: https://www.hackingchinese.com/outlier-chinese-character-masterclass-review-understand-more-learn-faster-remember-longer/

Review: The Outlier Dictionary of Chinese Characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/review-the-outlier-linguistics-dictionary-of-chinese-characters-with-discount-code/

21 essential dictionaries and corpora for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/21-essential-dictionaries-and-corpora-for-learning-chinese/

Chinese character variants and font differences for language learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-character-variants-and-fonts-for-language-learners/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Should you focus on learning 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?

#learnchinese #vocabulary #flashcards #skritter #q&a

Link to written article on Hacking Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-may-2025-learning-chinese-characters-and-words-with-flashcard-apps/

Link to vocabulary challenge: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-vocabulary-challenge/

Links to articles mentioned in this episode:

Learning Chinese words: When quantity beats quality: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-importance-of-knowing-many-words/

Should you learn Chinese vocabulary from lists? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-chinese-vocabulary-from-lists/

Which words you should learn and where to find them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/which-words-you-should-learn-in-and-where-to-find-them/

How to best use flashcards to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-best-use-flashcards-to-learn-chinese/

Do you have to learn to write Chinese characters by hand? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-it-necessary-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-hand/

Should you use an efficient method for learning Chinese even if you hate it? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-use-an-efficient-method-for-learning-chinese-even-if-you-hate-it/

Are you practising Chinese the right way? Is your method valid? https://www.hackingchinese.com/are-you-practising-chinese-the-right-way/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

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

#learnchinese #tones #pronunciation #challenges #speaking #listening

Link to article: 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/7-kinds-tone-problems/

Learning tones in Mandarin is not optional: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-tones-in-mandarin-is-not-optional/

The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/

Learning the third tone in Mandarin Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-third-tone-mandarin-chinese/

Learning the second tone in Mandarin Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-second-tone-in-mandarin-chinese/

Learning the neutral tone in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-neutral-tone-in-mandarin/

How to learn to hear the tones in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-to-hear-the-tones-in-mandarin/

Learning to hear the sounds and tones in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-to-hear-the-sounds-tones-in-mandarin/

Mimicking native speakers as a way of learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/mimicking-native-speakers-way-learning-chinese/

The art of being corrected: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-art-of-being-corrected/

Recording yourself to improve your speaking ability: https://www.hackingchinese.com/recording-yourself-to-improve-speaking-ability/

The Hacking Chinese pronunciation course: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/mandarin-chinese-pronunciation-course/

Free pronunciation lesson available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AMx6A_EMXwI?feature=shared

A smart method to discover problems with tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/a-smart-method-to-discover-problems-with-tones/

Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focusing-on-tone-pairs-to-improve-your-mandarin-pronunciation/

Free tone pairs sneak peek on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0G1Yp6snKcM?feature=shared

Extending mnemonics for learning Mandarin tones and pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/extending-mnemonics-inspiration-and-insights/

Optional and obligatory tone change rules in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/optional-obligatory-tone-change-rules-mandarin/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Reading is the best way to expand vocabulary and learn about new things, but how should you approach reading in Chinese? And what are the best free reading resources out there?

#learnchinese #reading #resources #free #beginner #intermediate #advanced

Link: ⁠The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners⁠: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chinese-reading-resources-beginner-intermediate-advanced/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Should you read Chinese with or without Pinyin? What are the pros and cons of reading on your phone? And how do you learn to read Chinese people’s handwriting?

#learnchinese #reading #yinyin #handwriting #flashcards

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Student Q&A: April, 2025: Reading with Pinyin, Chinese texts on your phone, and deciphering handwriting: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-april-2025-reading-with-pinyin-chinese-texts-on-your-phone-and-deciphering-handwriting/

Chinese reading challenge, April 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-challenge/

This month’s challenge is sponsored by mylingua: https://www.mylingua.world/landing/hackingchinese/

Links for question 1: Reading with Pinyin

Focusing on Chinese tones without being distracted by Pinyin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focusing-on-mandarin-tones-without-being-distracted-by-pinyin/

Links for question 2:  Reading Chinese on your phone

The new paperless revolution in Chinese reading (by David Moser): https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-new-paperless-revolution-in-chinese-reading/

Why you should read Chinese on your phone: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-you-should-read-chinese-on-your-phone/

Links for question 3: Reading handwritten Chinese

Do you have to learn to write Chinese characters by hand? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-it-necessary-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-hand/

Learning to read handwritten Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-read-handwritten-chinese/

Learning to understand regionally accented Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-to-understand-regionally-accented-mandarin/

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More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: https://www.hackingchinese.com/

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Memory is a skill that can be practised, learnt, and mastered. By using the right method, remembering even abstract things like tones and pronunciation in Mandarin becomes possible, even easy!

#learnchinese #mnemonics #tones #pronunciation

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: How to use mnemonics to learn Mandarin tones and pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/extending-mnemonics-inspiration-and-insights/

The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/​

Remembering is a skill you can learn: https://www.hackingchinese.com/remembering-is-a-skill-you-can-learn/​

How to create mnemonics for general or abstract character components: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-create-mnemonics-for-general-or-abstract-character-components/​

The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/​

Learning to hear the sounds and tones in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-to-hear-the-sounds-tones-in-mandarin/​

7 kinds of tone problems and what to do about them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/7-kinds-tone-problems/​

Does using colour to represent Mandarin tones make them easier to learn? https://www.hackingchinese.com/does-using-colour-to-represent-mandarin-tones-make-them-easier-to-learn/​

Don’t use mnemonics for everything: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dont-use-mnemonics-for-everything/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: https://www.hackingchinese.com/

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Living and travelling abroad can help you learn Chinese, but your attitude matters. To truly learn, stop being a tourist!

#learnchinese #tourist #travel #expat #languagelearning

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Don't be a tourist if you want to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dont-be-a-tourist/

You won’t learn Chinese simply by living abroad: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-wont-learn-chinese-simply-by-living-abroad/

Why travelling isn’t the best method to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/pros-and-cons-with-travelling-to-learn-a-language/

How I learnt Chinese, part 4: My second year in Taiwan: https://www.hackingchinese.com/i-learnt-chinese-part-4%EF%BC%9A-second-year-taiwan/

Escaping the convenience trap to learn more Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-convenience-trap/

8 tips for learning Chinese as an introverted student: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-as-an-introverted-student/

The forking path: A human approach to learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-forking-path-a-human-approach-to-learning-chinese/

More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: https://www.hackingchinese.com/

Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)