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)

Some say that dating a native speaker is the ultimate shortcut to fluency. “You’ll learn effortlessly with a teacher always by your side!” But is learning Chinese with a partner really the silver bullet it’s often made out to be?

#learnchinese #partner #boyfriend #girlfriend #wife #husband

Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Love and language: Challenges and opportunities in learning Chinese with a partner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/language-learning-with-a-chinese-girlfriend-or-boyfriend/

How I learnt Chinese, part 1: Where it all started: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-i-learnt-chinese-part-1-why-i-started-learning-chinese/

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

Chinese listening strategies: Diversify your listening practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listening-strategies-diversify-your-listening-practice/

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/

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/

The three roads to mastering Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-three-roads-to-mastering-chinese/

How to find a suitable Chinese name: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-find-a-suitable-chinese-name/

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

Immersion at home or: Why you don't have to go abroad to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/immersion-at-home-or-why-you-dont-have-to-go-abroad-to-learn-chinese/

You might be too lazy to learn Chinese, but you're not too old: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-might-be-too-lazy-to-learn-chinese-but-youre-not-too-old/

Pros and cons with travelling to learn a language: https://www.hackingchinese.com/pros-and-cons-with-travelling-to-learn-a-language/

Immersion at home or: Why you don't have to go abroad to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/immersion-at-home-or-why-you-dont-have-to-go-abroad-to-learn-chinese/

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

Most students of Chinese find listening comprehension a challenge. To truly become a fluent listener, use the Input Pyramid to rethink and upgrade your listening practice!

#learnchinese #listening #input #fluent

Link to article on Hacking Chinese:https://www.hackingchinese.com/course-fluent-listener-mandarin-listening-comprehension

Link to a video introduction to the course:https://youtu.be/jljUemN-Vck

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/

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/

How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/

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/

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/

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

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

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

Four key principles to improve your Mandarin listening comprehension: https://www.hackingchinese.com/four-key-principles-to-improve-your-mandarin-listening-comprehension/

100 hours of Chinese listening in 3 weeks: What I learnt and how to apply it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/100-hours-of-chinese-listening-in-3-weeks-what-i-learnt-and-how-to-apply-it/

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/

7 ideas for smooth and effortless Chinese listening practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/make-sure-that-listening-is-not-a-practical-problem/

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)

How do you improve listening ability as quickly as possible? Are there any strategies to deal with rapid speech? And how many times should you listen before using a transcript?

#learnchinese #improvement #strategies #rapidspeech #transcripts

Chinese listening challenge, February 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: When to use transcripts

Student Q&A, May 2024: Understanding strangers, listening with transcripts, and which podcasts to avoid (episode 189, not 210 as I say in the podcast): https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-may-2024-understanding-your-teacher-but-nobody-else-listening-with-transcripts-and-why-i-dont-recommend-some-popular-podcasts/

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/

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/

Links for question 2: Levelling up listening ability

100 hours of Chinese listening in 3 weeks: What I learnt and how to apply it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/100-hours-of-chinese-listening-in-3-weeks-what-i-learnt-and-how-to-apply-it/

7 ideas for smooth and effortless Chinese listening practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/make-sure-that-listening-is-not-a-practical-problem/

Three steps to more and better Chinese listening practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/three-steps-to-more-and-better-listening-practice/

Links for question 3: Listening to rapid Mandarin

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/

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/

Learning Chinese through comprehensible input: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-input/

An introduction to comprehension-based Chinese teaching and learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/introduction-comprehension-based-chinese-teaching-learning/

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)