Pronunciation2 min read · Aug 1, 2026
How to Learn Mandarin Tones (with Free Games)
The four tones are the biggest hurdle for new learners — and the most fixable. Here is a practical path from hearing tones to producing them.
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Mandarin learning guides
Short, practical guides written for English-speaking beginners — the same topics as the games, explained in plain language.
Vocabulary2 min read · Jul 28, 2026
HSK 1 Word List: The Essential First Words in Chinese
HSK 1 is only about 150 words — a surprisingly small set that covers greetings, numbers, family, food, and basic sentences. Here is how the list is organised and how to make it stick.
Getting Started2 min read · Jul 20, 2026
Is Chinese Hard to Learn? An Honest Guide for Beginners
Chinese has a reputation for being impossibly hard. The truth is more interesting: hard parts exist, but the grammar is far simpler than English — and the difficulty is very front-loaded.
Pronunciation2 min read · Jul 12, 2026
How to Practice Pinyin: A Step-by-Step Guide
Pinyin is the romanisation system that unlocks spoken Chinese. Learn the building blocks, why tone marks matter, and how typing practice builds fast recall.
Characters2 min read · Jul 5, 2026
Chinese Characters for Beginners: How Radicals Make Words Click
Characters look like random strokes until you see the parts. Radicals are the building blocks — and once you know a few dozen, thousands of characters start making sense.
Study Plan1 min read · Jun 28, 2026
The 5-Minute Daily Mandarin Study Plan (That Actually Works)
Most people quit Chinese because they over-plan and under-repeat. Here is a five-minute daily loop designed to survive real life — and the habits that keep it running.
Characters1 min read · Aug 8, 2026
What Are Chinese Radicals? A Beginner's Guide with Examples
Most Chinese characters are made from smaller pieces. Learn the radicals behind 好, 明, and 妈, and turn character recognition from memorization into pattern recognition.
HSK Guide1 min read · Aug 6, 2026
How Many Words Do You Need for HSK 1 to HSK 6?
The jump from HSK 1 to HSK 6 is bigger than most learners expect: 150 words, then 300, 600, 1,200, 2,500, and finally 5,000. Here is what each level actually feels like.
Language Choices1 min read · Aug 4, 2026
Mandarin vs Cantonese: Which Should Beginners Learn?
If you are starting from zero, Mandarin is usually the practical choice — but the right answer depends on your family, job, and travel plans.
Practical Skills1 min read · Aug 2, 2026
How to Type Chinese on Any Device (Pinyin Input Explained)
You do not need a special keyboard — just a pinyin input method. Type 'ni hao', pick 你好, and start practicing real sentences immediately.
Characters1 min read · Jul 30, 2026
How to Learn Chinese Characters Without Memorizing 5,000 Drawings
Characters look like random lines at first, but they are built from a small set of strokes and reusable parts. Here is the system that makes them stick.
Vocabulary4 min read · Jul 26, 2026
Chinese Numbers 1 to 100: The Pattern That Makes Counting Easy
Once you know 1–10, you already know most of 1–100. Chinese builds numbers like equations — here is the pattern and how to practice it.
Study Planning1 min read · Jul 24, 2026
How Long Does It Take to Learn Mandarin? Realistic Timelines
Fluency in Mandarin is a multi-year project, but 'can hold a simple conversation' is much closer than you think. Here are the milestones that matter.
Characters1 min read · Jul 22, 2026
Simplified vs Traditional Chinese: Which One Should You Learn?
Both scripts share the same language and grammar. Simplified is the best starting point for most learners; here is why, and when traditional matters.
Conversation4 min read · Jul 20, 2026
Common Mandarin Greetings: From 你好 to Real Conversations
你好 is only the beginning. Here are the greetings Chinese speakers actually use, with tone-marked pinyin and when to say each one.
Grammar1 min read · Jul 18, 2026
Chinese Measure Words: 个, 本, 张 and the Rules That Matter
Measure words like 个 and 本 sit between numbers and nouns. This guide covers the most common ones and the pattern that makes them learnable.
Pronunciation1 min read · Jul 16, 2026
Mandarin Tone Pairs: The Real Way to Sound Natural
Fluent Mandarin is built from tone pairs, not single syllables. Practice the 20 common combinations with examples and short games.
HSK Guide4 min read · Jul 14, 2026
HSK 2 Word List: The Next 150 Words After HSK 1
HSK 2 feels like the first real step into Chinese: more verbs, daily routines, and the ability to talk about your day.
Study Skills1 min read · Jul 12, 2026
How to Remember Chinese Vocabulary: 5 Techniques That Work
Forgetting is normal; the fix is a system. These five techniques turn new words into long-term vocabulary without painful cramming.
Travel4 min read · Jul 10, 2026
Chinese for Travel: 25 Phrases That Actually Get You Around
You do not need a phrasebook chapter for every situation. These 25 phrases cover the real moments of a trip to China.
Characters4 min read · Jul 8, 2026
Chinese Stroke Order Rules: 8 Simple Rules That Cover 90% of Characters
Stroke order is not a mystery — it follows a small set of rules. Learn these eight and most characters will write themselves in the right order.
Listening4 min read · Jul 6, 2026
Mandarin Listening Practice: From Zero to Understanding Real Speech
Listening feels impossible until you realize the problem is usually unfamiliar sounds, not speed. Here is the progression that makes real speech comprehensible.
Vocabulary4 min read · Jul 4, 2026
Chinese Food Vocabulary: Ordering, Tastes, and Table Words
Food is one of the best reasons to learn Chinese. Here are the words that get you from menu to full in a Chinese restaurant.
Study Planning4 min read · Jul 2, 2026
A Realistic Daily Chinese Routine for Busy Learners (20 Minutes)
You do not need hours. A balanced 20 minutes — review, new words, listening, and reading — compounds into real progress.