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)

Should you cram or use spaced repetition to learn Chinese? Discover when each method works best and why spaced repetition is key to long-term success.

#learnchinese #review #vocabulary #cramming #srs #flashcards

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: 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/

An introduction to extensive reading for Chinese learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/introduction-extensive-reading-chinese-learners/

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/

Reading is a lot like spaced repetition, only better: https://www.hackingchinese.com/reading-is-a-lot-like-spaced-repetition-only-better/

Anki, the best of spaced repetition software: https://www.hackingchinese.com/anki-a-friendly-intelligent-spaced-learning-system/

Pleco Software – The #1 Chinese dictionary app for iOS and Android: https://www.pleco.com/

Skritter review: Boosting your Chinese character learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/skritter-chinese-review-boosting-your-character-learning/

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

Spaced repetition software and why you should use it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/an-introduction-to-spaced-repetition-software/

How to get good grades when studying Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/studying-chinese-when-your-grades-matter/

Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 4: Learning to process spoken Mandarin quickly and effortlessly: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-4-learning-to-process-spoken-mandarin-quickly-and-effortlessly/

Learn Chinese efficiently, not quickly: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-efficiently-vs-learning-quickly/

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)

Videos are ideal for learning Chinese, because the visual element enhances comprehension and engagement. But what videos should you watch? What are the best YouTube channels?

#learnchinese #youtube #video #immersion #listening

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

There are way too many links to specific YouTube channels, playlists and videos to put in the show notes here, so please refer to the written article for the recommendations. Below, I have included links to related articles on Hacking Chinese only.

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

Learning Chinese implicitly through exposure and seasoning, not through explicit instruction: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-chinese-implicitly-exposure-seasoning-explicit-instruction/

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/

How to use YouTube and other video platforms to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-use-youtube-and-other-video-platforms-to-learn-chinese/

Listen before you read: Improve your listening ability: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listen-before-you-read-improve-your-listening-ability/

Listen more than once: How the replay button can help you learn more Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listen-more-than-once-how-the-replay-button-can-help-you-learn-more-chinese/

8 great ways to scaffold your Chinese listening and reading: https://www.hackingchinese.com/8-great-ways-scaffold-chinese-learning/

Listen more and learn more by building a personal Chinese audio library: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listen-more-and-learn-more-by-building-a-personal-chinese-audio-library/

The Input Pyramid: Chinese Listening for Any Situation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-input-pyramid-chinese-listening-for-any-situation/

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/

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 Chinese slang worth your time? What do you do when someone with less study time speaks better than you? And how can you escape the expat bubble and start learning Mandarin?

#learnchinese #q&a #speaking #slang #expat #progress

Chinese speaking challenge, March 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-speaking-challenge/

Student Q&A: March, 2025: Chinese slang, leaving expat bubbles, and competing with other learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-march-2025-chinese-slang-leaving-expat-bubbles-and-competing-with-other-learners/

Links for question 1 about other people learning faster

How long do you have to study Chinese to make it useful? https://www.hackingchinese.com/long-study-chinese-make-useful/

Why your Chinese isn’t as good as you think it ought to be: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-your-chinese-isnt-as-good-as-you-think-it-ought-to-be/

Links for question 2 about learning Chinese as an expat

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

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/

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/

Unlocking Chinese: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/unlocking-chinese-ultimate-guide-beginner/

Links for question 3 about slang:

Learning (or not learning) Chinese slang: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-not-learning-chinese-slang/

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

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)

Board games are more than just fun, they’re a powerful way to learn Chinese, boosting vocabulary, fluency, and communication skills!

#learnchinese #boardgames #game #fluency #communication

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Learning Chinese by playing board games: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-playing-board-games/

How to use computer games to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/diablo-3-and-starcraft-2-playing-computer-games-in-chinese/

Learning Chinese with StarCraft 2: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-with-starcraft-2/

Playing word games to practise fluency: https://www.hackingchinese.com/playing-word-games-to-practise-fluency/

Escape! A text adventure game for Chinese learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/escape-text-adventure-game-chinese-learners/

Learning Chinese by playing Mahjong 麻將 (májiàng): https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-by-playing-mahjong-麻將-majiang/

Real communication: What it is, why you want it and how to get it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/real-communication-what-it-is-why-you-want-it-and-how-to-get-it/

Have fun, or else: https://www.hackingchinese.com/have-fun-or-else/

How to learn Chinese in the long term with intrinsic motivation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-chinese-in-the-long-term-with-intrinsic-motivation/

How and why to teach Chinese through games: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-and-why-to-teach-chinese-through-games/

Use the benefits of teaching to boost your own learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/use-the-benefits-of-teaching-to-boost-your-own-learning/

Skritter review: Boosting your character learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/skritter-review-boosting-your-character-learning/

Rules for Settlers of Catan (Simplified Chinese): https://t.co/OA5TZjfYGe

Rules for Settlers of Catan (Traditional Chinese): http://phantasiatw.pixnet.net/blog/post/117197942-卡坦島基本版-規則+心得

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)