Equally important in this learning process is choosing the right learning material. A well-chosen book can significantly impact your learning progress. It’s essential to select a book that aligns with your learning objectives, whether it’s passing a Chinese proficiency exam, improving conversational skills, doing business with Chinese people, or understanding Chinese culture. The right book is often well-structured and systematic. It not only guides you through the complexities of the language but also keeps you engaged and motivated throughout your learning journey.

Understanding Different Learning Levels

Usually, different levels of Chinese learners have distinct needs, and learning books cater to these varying requirements. But how do you choose the good ones?

For beginners, the foundation is always about understanding the basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, mastering pronunciation, and acquiring vocabulary. Beginners need books that introduce basic grammar and vocabulary in a simple, engaging way. Take pronunciation as an example, some books only include one lesson on it, if you don’t have a tutor to do more intensive extra practice, it’s definitely not enough. Usually, no matter if it’s for self-learning or learning with a teacher, a beginner’s book should include detailed pronunciation instructions and practice exercises. The content should be presented in small, manageable sections to prevent overwhelming the learner.

For intermediate learners, vocabulary and grammar are the most vital parts. Make sure the grammar points are well explained and the vocabulary is truly at the intermediate level.  Some books might include many unnecessary advanced words. Books for intermediate learners should offer authentic texts, which introduce nuances of the language and encourage reading without Pinyin.

For advanced learners, reading and writing in paragraphs is highly valued. So the variety of topics and richness of the content should be considered carefully when choosing learning books. Advanced books often focus on specific aspects of the language, like formal writing or business communication. There’s less emphasis on language rules and more on usage, idioms, and style.

If there is a certain aspect you need to improve, such as speaking, writing, test preparation, or business conversations, then choose a book that focuses on that point. Some books place emphasis on certain skills across all levels. For example, if you want to improve your reading level, your target book should offer increasingly complex texts, with exercises to improve comprehension. You can always find a book that caters to your needs.

Top Chinese Books for Beginners

For complete beginners, traditional textbooks are the most common pick because they offer the most structured and systematic approach. Books like “Integrated Chinese,” “HSK Standard Course,” and “New Practical Chinese Reader” are popular choices, each with their unique and effective approaches to teaching essential pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Related Reading: Chinese for Beginners – All-in-one Guide

HSK Standard Course Series

These books are tailored for learners preparing for the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) Chinese proficiency tests. They align closely with the HSK exam’s structure, covering the vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension required at each level. They offer systematic and in-depth training with exercises and mock tests that mimic the actual exam format, enabling learners to track and improve their proficiency. HSK Standard Course also progressively introduces Chinese characters, helping beginners transition from Pinyin to reading and writing characters.

Integrated Chinese

This series is known for its balanced approach to teaching speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. It contextually introduces vocabulary and grammar, focusing on language use in everyday situations. The lessons are structured to gradually build up language proficiency, starting from basic phrases and sentences to more complex structures. Integrated Chinese uses a mix of Pinyin and characters from the start, encouraging learners to familiarize themselves with Chinese script early on.

New Practical Chinese Reader

This series, which is designed to develop communicative competence, is often used in schools. It starts with basic vocabulary and grammar, presented through thematic lessons that reflect real-life situations. The New Practical Chinese Reader series includes cultural notes and background information to enhance students’ understanding. It uses a combination of Pinyin and characters, with a gradual shift towards more character-based content as the learner progresses. The books include a variety of exercises focusing on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

To complement this series, we’ve developed a video course tailored to the New Practical Chinese Reader textbooks, enhancing the learning experience.

Oxford Beginner’s Chinese Dictionary

This is a resource for those starting to learn Chinese. Designed for easy use, it features clear entries with Pinyin, essential vocabulary tailored for beginners, and practical grammar and usage tips. Unique to this dictionary are the cultural insights, enriching the learning experience by connecting language with its cultural context. Additionally, it often includes thematic word lists and may offer digital resources for an enhanced learning experience. This dictionary is more than just a language tool; it’s a comprehensive guide for beginners getting deeper into both the language and culture of China.

Top Books for Intermediate Chinese Learners

Developing Chinese

This series is comprehensive and is often used in academic settings. It systematically introduces vocabulary and grammar concepts, with each lesson building on the previous one. The books use real-life dialogues and texts to provide context for the language elements being taught. They emphasize practical usage and include a variety of exercises to reinforce learning. The series also integrates cultural elements, helping learners to not only prepare for the exams but also gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and its linguistic nuances, which is especially beneficial for intermediate learners. Alongside the comprehensive course, this series also includes listening, speaking, and writing courses at each level, which make it a one-stop shop for Chinese learners.

Complete Mandarin Chinese

This is a comprehensive guide recommended for learners aiming to reach an intermediate level in Mandarin. This book stands out thanks to its thorough coverage of essential language skills, including advanced vocabulary, complex grammar structures, and practical conversation scenarios. It focuses on real-life language use, enabling learners to improve their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a balanced manner. With its clear explanations, varied exercises, and cultural notes, “Complete Mandarin Chinese” is an ideal resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of the language and progress beyond the basics.

Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

This book offers a clear and detailed overview of complex grammar structures in Mandarin. It is a comprehensive guide, blends traditional and function-based approaches to Mandarin Chinese grammar in one volume. The book is split into two parts: Part A focuses on grammar categories like phrase order and different usages, while Part B centers on language functions such as communication strategies and expressing regrets. Both parts are interlinked with detailed cross-references, enriching the understanding of grammatical patterns with a functional perspective. The grammar points are illustrated with examples emphasizing contemporary usage. Ideal for learners from beginners to intermediate, this book doesn’t require previous grammar knowledge. It includes a glossary of terms and pairs with a separate workbook for exercises. This makes it a comprehensive reference and learning tool for Mandarin Chinese.

A New China: An Intermediate Reader of Modern Chinese

Now in a revised single-volume format, this book has established itself as a key textbook for intermediate Chinese language learning. This updated edition integrates the previous two-volume set, reflecting significant changes in China over the past decade. The book, written from the viewpoint of a foreign student newly arrived in China, offers contemporary lessons and materials on China’s evolving landscape. It starts with the student’s initial experiences in Beijing, covering everything from airport arrival to university dorm life. The new edition includes lessons on everyday activities like laundry and haircuts, along with cultural experiences at the zoo, night markets, and the Great Wall. Later sections address China’s current social and political topics, such as divorce and urban traffic challenges. “A New China” is comprehensive, with detailed grammar instructions, extensive vocabulary, and exercises. It also presents content in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters.

Top Books for Advanced Chinese Learners

Advanced Reader of Contemporary Chinese Short Stories: Reflections on Humanity

This collection of contemporary short stories is a great resource for advanced learners. It helps in understanding complex sentence structures, offers insights into Chinese society and culture, and introduces the advanced student to some of the most important Chinese writers. The stories are followed by detailed explanations of difficult phrases and comprehensive language activities. This book is suitable for learners at a high intermediate or advanced level who already have a good grasp of Chinese characters. However, if you find character recognition challenging, the vocabulary lists included will be particularly beneficial.

Eyes on China: An Intermediate-Advanced Reader of Modern Chinese

This is an ideal learning resource for intermediate to advanced Chinese language learners. This book offers a deep view of modern Chinese through a collection of compelling and contemporary readings. Covering a wide range of topics, from cultural trends to social issues, it provides learners with an authentic glimpse into China’s current affairs and everyday life. The book is designed to enhance language skills, particularly reading and comprehension, by presenting complex sentence structures and advanced vocabulary. Each article is accompanied by thorough explanations and vocabulary lists, making it an effective tool for improving both language proficiency and cultural understanding. “Eyes on China” is a valuable asset for learners aiming to achieve a higher level of fluency and a deeper insight into modern Chinese society.

All Things Considered: Revised Edition

This is a thoroughly revised textbook that effectively transitions learners from intermediate to advanced Chinese. Addressing contemporary and stimulating topics relevant to Chinese society, such as wealth disparity, environmental challenges, and evolving views on marriage and sex, the book fosters student engagement and discussion. The first twelve lessons are presented in dialogue form, while the rest feature articles from Chinese newspapers and magazines, exposing students to both spoken and written Chinese. This structure not only provides diverse content but also reinforces learning through the repetition of topics in different formats. The new edition of “All Things Considered” presents an improved, user-friendly layout with text and vocabulary on adjacent pages and updated grammar explanations and exercises, making it an ideal resource for advanced Chinese language learners seeking a comprehensive and relevant learning experience.

Specialized Chinese Learning Books for Different Needs

Books to Help Improve Chinese Speaking Skills

New Target Chinese Spoken Language

This series is an innovative set of textbooks specifically designed for learners aiming to enhance their spoken Chinese skills. These books cater to a range of levels, from beginner to advanced, focusing on practical, everyday language use. The series adopts a conversational approach, with each book structured around real-life scenarios that learners are likely to encounter, from basic introductions to more complex social interactions. This method not only helps in building a robust vocabulary and understanding of grammar in a conversational context but also aids in developing listening and speaking skills. The lessons are complemented by cultural insights, making the learning process both comprehensive and engaging. This series is an excellent choice for learners who want to focus primarily on improving their oral communication skills in Mandarin Chinese.

Conversational Chinese 301

This is a widely acclaimed textbook designed for learners aiming to develop practical communication skills in Mandarin Chinese. Renowned for its focus on real-life conversational scenarios, the book comprises 40 lessons, each structured around common daily interactions and dialogues. This setup allows learners to quickly grasp essential vocabulary and sentence structures relevant to everyday situations. The fourth edition updates outdated texts to reflect current social life, adding terms like “high-speed rail,” “express delivery,” and “WeChat.” The lessons are concise yet comprehensive, making them ideal for both classroom use and self-study.

Resources to Help Improve Chinese Listening Skills

China Focus – 《中国微镜头：汉语视听说系列教材》

The “China Focus” series is a comprehensive set of language textbooks specifically designed for Chinese audio-visual courses. The series utilizes a wide array of audio-visual materials drawn from contemporary Chinese society, including documentaries, news, situational dramas, interviews, entertainment programs, short films, advertisements, and songs. It leverages an abundance of online video resources to create a classroom teaching environment based on natural language use. The series is categorized into six levels according to the difficulty of the audio-visual materials and covers various themes such as society, economy, culture, education, life, love, and art. Each theme is further divided into several topics, with each topic compiled into a separate volume. The language component of the series encompasses common communicative functions and scenarios across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, making it an ideal resource for learners seeking to enhance their listening skills in Mandarin.

Developing Chinese: Listening Course

• Elementary Listening Course 1
• Elementary Listening Course 2
• Intermediate Listening Course 1
• Intermediate Listening Course 2
• Advanced Listening Course 1
• Advanced Listening Course 2

This series is excellent for beginner to advanced learners, offering a range of listening exercises that cover various topics and situations. It’s designed to improve comprehensive listening skills and includes recordings of native speakers.

Resources to Improve Chinese Reading Skills

Chinese Breeze

“Chinese Breeze” is a well-regarded graded reader series designed to enhance the reading skills of Chinese language learners. Tailored for beginner and intermediate learners, the series offers a variety of engaging stories, each written using a limited number of unique Chinese characters. This controlled vocabulary approach makes the stories accessible and enjoyable for learners, helping them to build confidence and fluency in reading Chinese. The series covers a wide range of genres, from mystery to romance, providing cultural insights and language learning in an entertaining format.

Mandarin Companion

The “Mandarin Companion” series is a collection of graded readers specifically designed for Chinese language learners. This innovative series reimagines classic Western and Chinese stories, adapting them into simplified Chinese using a controlled vocabulary suitable for beginner and intermediate learners. The unique approach of the “Mandarin Companion” series makes reading in Chinese more accessible and enjoyable, helping learners to improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary in a context-rich environment. The series is acclaimed for its ability to seamlessly blend language learning with engaging storytelling, offering stories in various genres that captivate readers while simultaneously enhancing their Mandarin skills.

Bonus e-based reading resource

Mandarin Bean

Mandarin Bean’s graded reading content is an excellent resource for learners looking to improve their Chinese reading abilities. It offers a diverse selection of stories from ancient to modern China, suitable for learners of all levels. The website features Chinese folktales, idioms, news, jokes, stories from the Three Kingdoms period, and fun modern narratives, providing a rich and engaging learning experience. With Mandarin Bean, learners can build and expand their vocabulary, master Chinese sentence patterns, and immerse themselves in iconic parts of Chinese history and legends. Each article is structured to aid learning while being entertaining, featuring bilingual text in simplified Chinese, Pinyin, and English. A Chinese-only version for self-assessment, key vocabulary lists, sentence patterns with contextual examples, and engaging exercises are also available. The content is enhanced with learning tips and cultural insights and includes free audio recordings by native speakers to aid in listening and speaking practice. This approach makes Mandarin Bean’s graded reading content a valuable tool for learners exploring an exciting adventure in Chinese language learning.

Chinese History and Culture: Idioms, Legends, and Literature

Chinese Stories for Language Learners

This is a great resource for passionate Mandarin learners at an intermediate level, who are looking to immerse themselves in the captivating world of Chinese stories. This bilingual book offers a rich selection of 31 stories, ranging from ancient folktales and proverbs to tales of historical figures and modern narratives. It’s a comprehensive tool for expanding essential vocabulary and mastering over 60 Chinese sentence patterns, all contextualized within engaging stories. The book provides a unique insight into iconic Chinese history, legends, and wisdom, including witty idioms and proverbs with their original stories, enhancing cultural knowledge. Each story is presented in simplified Chinese, Pinyin, and English, with a Chinese-only version for self-assessment. Key vocabulary lists, sentence patterns with contextual examples, engaging activities, and learning tips ensure a well-rounded educational experience. “Chinese Stories for Language Learners” is more than just a learning resource; it’s a companion for an enjoyable and insightful journey into Chinese language and culture.

Chinese Stories for Language Learners: A Treasury of Proverbs and Folktales in Bilingual Chinese and English

This is a captivating book that presents 22 classic Chinese proverbs and the traditional tales behind them, ideal for intermediate and advanced Mandarin learners. Each story is bilingual, with Chinese and English text on facing pages, accompanied by explanations of the proverbs’ current usage, cultural notes, vocabulary, and discussion questions. The book includes audio recordings by native speakers, enhancing pronunciation and comprehension skills. The book features proverbs like “画龙点睛” “守株待兔” and “水至清则无鱼,” explaining their rich cultural and historical contexts. These stories offer insights into ancient Chinese wisdom and its relevance today. This collection serves as both an educational tool and an engaging way to expand vocabulary and deepen understanding of the Chinese language, whether in a classroom setting or for self-study.

Dream of the Red Chamber – 《红楼梦》

For those interested in classical Chinese literature, this novel is a treasure trove of advanced vocabulary and classical sentence structures. It’s both challenging and rewarding for advanced learners, offering a deep dive into the richness of the Chinese language and its literary heritage.

Learning Strategies and Tips

To make the most out of Chinese learning books and enhance your learning experience, consider incorporating these strategies.

1. Learn actively and regularly

Engage actively with your learning materials. Reading is not enough. Pick up your pencil and try to write down new Chinese characters and phrases, create your own sentences, and then use them in context. This active engagement helps reinforce what you’ve learned.

Consistent practice is vital in language learning. Dedicate a regular time for practice every day, even if it’s just for a short duration. This strategy will make you digest the knowledge more effectively

2. Repetition

Many learners love to learn new knowledge and are eager to progress very fast. Never forget to repeat the content you’ve learned previously. It’s not a fun process, but very helpful. There is always something new you can find and understand in the second or third time you review the content.

3. Build your learning net

Sometimes you may find that memorizing a single character or grammar pattern is very challenging. That’s because you don’t have a large learning net. Always put the words and patterns in context. This would involve associating characters or patterns with usages and meanings, which is much easier for you to remember and understand.

You may also find that a word or grammar point may have different meanings or uses but at different levels. You should learn each meaning one at a time, as they come up for you. You will get a clearer understanding of each unique use. There are numerous grammar collections or word usage summaries you can read. We will put a reference at the end of this article for you.  

4. Seek feedback

Most learners hate tests, but it’s actually a really important part of the learning process. Think of it not as seeking insult but as knowing your learning status. You can have your writing checked by a teacher or a native speaker. Or have a quiz after each learning stage or lesson. It’s an easy way to know the areas you need to improve and understand your mistakes.

5. Incorporate different skills

A holistic approach to Chinese learning can significantly enhance your overall proficiency. You can integrate various language skills, including reading, speaking, listening, and writing, into your study routine. For example, if you’re learning Chinese writing, you could read Chinese newspapers or books to see how words are used in context, engage in conversations with native speakers to improve your fluency and pronunciation and listen to Chinese podcasts or songs to enhance your comprehension and listening skills. Each skill complements and reinforces the others, leading to a more comprehensive and effective learning experience.

Conclusion

Choosing books that align with your learning style and objectives is crucial, as the right resources can significantly enhance your understanding and retention of the language. Alongside this, embracing diverse and effective learning strategies—such as incorporating various language skills, utilizing spaced repetition, and engaging with native content—will exponentially boost your language proficiency. With the right learning materials and a committed approach, the journey of learning Chinese can be as rewarding as it is transformative.

Reading References

• A Collection of Resources for Learning Chinese Characters– Books, Videos, Courses, Apps, Tools
• Recommended Chinese Textbooks
• Recommended Business Chinese Textbooks For Different Levels
• Where To Find the Best Chinese Graded Readers
• Chinese: Sentence Structures & Exceptions
• Chinese Reading Practice: A Guide for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Learners
• The Most Recommended Online Chinese Courses
• Most Recommended Resources
• Specialized Textbooks Geared Toward K12 Students
• Amazing Books for Kids Learning Chinese
• The Best Chinese Picture Books for Your Kids

The post Best Books to Learn Chinese: Top Picks for Beginners to Advanced Learners appeared first on .

HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) is a Chinese Language Proficiency Test that is held regularly around the world by Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters). So far, there are six levels, and HSK level 1 is the beginning level, which is also the very first goal for many Chinese learners. HSK 1 requires students to learn 150 new words and the whole Pinyin pronunciation system, which will enable them to meet basic communication needs and allow them to further their Chinese language studies. 

Why do I need an HSK 1 Book?

Different books target different goals. HSK is not an achievement test based on any one textbook: it’s a proficiency test assessing learners’ language abilities. Using an HSK 1 book can help you meet the test requirements very efficiently. The target words and phrases are scientifically organized and frequently used daily. In this article, we will recommend some popular and established HSK 1 books for you to use.

Related Reading: Chinese for Beginners: Your Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Mandarin

HSK Standard Course 1

HSK Standard Course 1 is designed for total beginners who need to acquire basic Chinese language abilities as well as students who aim to take the level 1 test. It has summed up the test’s focuses, difficulties, language points, topics, functions, and situations. Even though the HSK level 1 test only involves listening and reading sections, the HSK Standard Course 1 book still provides listening, reading, speaking, and writing training. Apart from the textbook, there is also a supporting workbook of exercises that focuses on improving students’ listening, reading, and writing skills, so as to refine their language abilities. The book suggests it can be finished in 34 class hours and allow students to pass the HSK level 1 test.

There are 15 lessons in this book. The first and second lessons mainly focus on pronunciation, which includes all basic Pinyin concepts. These two lessons also create a very firm foundation for further study. Afterward, each lesson also provides corresponding drills to expand and strengthen pronunciation skills. 

From lessons 3 to 15, the texts are theme-based with one or two example conversations. The structure of each lesson is generally formed by warm-up, text, notes, practice, pronunciation, characters, and use sections. Some of the lessons also include a culture section which helps learners know more about Chinese people and China. HSK Standard Course 1 ensures the words and grammar points used are within the HSK 1 requirements. It emphasizes diversity and richness of content.

The characters used in this book take the student all the way through the learning process from 17 basic strokes to writing order, character structure, and basic radicals. There are 52 single-component characters required at level 1.

All the target grammar points and words are well organized in each lesson. You know exactly what you are learning with strong purpose and motivation.

The layout of each lesson:

Topics and functions in the Course 1 book:

New Practical Chinese Reader 1

As one of the most popular Chinese language textbooks, the New Practical Chinese Reader series has been tested by countless learners. The whole set consists of six volumes. Volume 1 is at the basic level, which introduces Chinese customs and culture as well as relevant Chinese expressions and ideas within the setting of campus and daily life. It has 12 lessons including 2 preparatory lessons on phonetics. Each lesson needs about 4 or 5 class hours to complete. In addition to systematical phonetic lessons, there are also many drills on Pinyin and tones, as well as some daily expressions.

The main texts are dialogues about necessary topics and typical scenes for learners to use basic structures and functions of Chinese, such as daily greetings, introductions, shopping, and transportation, which strengthen all four language skills. It goes from heavy use of pinyin to gradually more use of Chinese characters. Choosing this Reader 1 as your HSK level 1 book is definitely enough.

To complement this series, we’ve developed a video course tailored to the New Practical Chinese Reader textbooks, enhancing the learning experience.

The layout of each lesson:

Topics and functions in Volume 1:

Developing Chinese (Elementary)

There are three levels of Developing Chinese: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Each level contains 5 aspects, including comprehension, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The Comprehensive course is the main book.

There are two volumes for the elementary level. Volume one has 30 lessons in total, which is perfect for total beginners. After finishing this book, learners can master the whole Chinese phonetics system and pronunciation skills, as well as the fundamental words and sentence patterns. It also requires the mastery of basic strokes and structures of Chinese characters. With the knowledge from the elementary level, you can meet basic communication needs in daily life and have some cultural knowledge about China, which also satisfies the requirements of HSK level 1.

My Chinese Classroom (Elementary 1)

There are 3 levels of the My Chinese Classroom series, and each level has three volumes. After studying the elementary-level books, learners can master over 800 words and 80 grammar points, which means they are able to pass HSK level 3. Each volume has 10 lessons with texts, new words, practice, listening, and characters sections. It suggests 42 class hours per volume. Besides English, there is also a Japanese translation provided in it.

The grammar part is quite different from other textbooks. There is no independent explanation of each grammar point, but rather a bulleted list about the grammar points at the very beginning of each lesson. With a teacher’s help, this book can become much easier for learners. Also, there are corresponding grammar drills in the exercises part.

The layout of Elementary 1:

Other materials

Besides the standard textbooks, there are also some supplementary materials to help you master the knowledge and pass the HSK 1 test smoothly, and more importantly, further your Chinese language learning with a firm foundation.

Words and phrases are the bricks for the construction of a language. Each HSK level requires a certain number of key words that need to be mastered. There are 150 words in the HSK level 1 vocabulary list. To become more familiar with these words, you can use this vocabulary list. You can download it here.

To pass the test, you might also need to know the test structure well so that you can beat it easily. There are mainly two parts to the HSK level 1 test: listening and reading. Therefore, it doesn’t need to test your speaking and writing. The whole test will last for 40 minutes in total. Each part counts for 100 points. You just need to get over 120 points to pass the test. There is also pinyin provided in the test to assist your understanding.

Before taking the HSK 1 test, it’s better to do some mock tests to get more familiar with it and to get to know your current level so that it’s easier to make up for your shortcomings. There are both paper-based and online mock tests. You can choose anyone you want.

• Paper-based mock test: New HSK Mock Test Level 1 (Book + CD)
• Online mock tests: Online HSK Sample Tests

The post HSK 1: The Best Books to Begin Your Journey appeared first on .

More and more learners realize that they need more reading practice. They search for newspapers, magazines, and the news to get more reading materials. Except for some advanced learners, very few people can learn productively this way. There are many obstacles, such as too many new words and grammar concepts above their current level. This quickly leads to frustration.

So, their problem is lacking suitable Chinese reading materials, especially content that covers various topics. That’s why we recommend Chinese graded readers (中文分级阅读). They can help build Chinese language skills while providing personalized content. These more suitable reading materials can promote self-teaching to improve language abilities.

Chinese teachers and students alike can all use graded reading materials as a scaffold to help with their Chinese learning. Learners should spend 10-40 minutes per day reading the corresponding level reading materials. It can be skimming or intensive reading, which is an excellent way for learners to cultivate good habits while expanding their target language knowledge.

General Chinese Graded Readers

The concept of graded readers is not only for kids, but for learners of all ages and levels. However, unlike reading materials for kids, adults need more valuable and helpful content to keep them involved and make it feel worth spending the time. Well, these textbooks are well organized and categorized. Whether you’re learning business Chinese, travel Chinese, test-oriented Chinese, or general daily conversation, you can always find the related reading materials classified by language levels.

Books：

• Developing Chinese: Reading Course

The Developing Chinese series is a complete set of Chinese language books. The reading course is divided into two levels (intermediate and advanced). Its writing respects the reading habits of learners in their actual reading. It balances the difficulty very well. This textbook fully considers the learner’s language ability and reading level and reduces reading difficulty by controlling the word level, sentence length, and content complexity. After studying this course, learners will improve their reading ability quickly, and it will enable them to experience and understand contemporary China. This reading course is the perfect match to the Developing Chinese textbook series.

• LEDU

Ledu（乐读）is a set of very new reading textbooks. They’re designed to cultivate the reading ability of Chinese learners. The lessons follow a specific sequence (strokes – characters – words – sentences – paragraphs) to comprehensively improve reading skills. There are six volumes in total. Whether you are a beginner or advanced learner, there is a volume for you. This textbook series emphasizes diversification in the choice of subject matter. In the “Live Reading” section, students are also provided with signs, posters, enlightenments, online posts, and other text materials that can be seen everywhere in their daily lives.

Digital materials：

Textbook dialogues and texts are excellent for acquiring basic language knowledge. But alongside that learning, you might feel unsatisfied because some materials in your textbooks are too basic and sometimes outdated. Especially when you get beyond the beginner level and need to communicate with others in daily life or in a work setting, the vocabulary and topics covered in textbooks are pretty limited. Here are some recommendations for supplemental Chinese graded reading materials.

• Mandarin Bean

With Mandarin Bean, you can easily find your ideal reading content by searching by HSK levels or various tags. The level of each piece is determined by if a learner at that level can understand 70% or more of the text. You can acquire new words and expressions while reading the topics that interest you—news, business, lifestyle, travel, culture, etc. Mandarin Bean rewrites many trending stories with words to match your level so that you can practice reading while learning something new. It’s perfect for independent reading since they provide the Pinyin, translation, and even new vocabulary practice exercises. Since it’s not entirely written based on the HSK vocabulary list, you can also learn the latest buzzwords and concepts, which are excellent for daily communication with Chinese people.

• Du Chinese

If you are looking for a reading app, Du Chinese is quite an excellent choice. There are six levels from Newbie to Master. Each increasing level makes the sentences and vocabulary more and more challenging. There are also many conversations to read as well. If you are stuck on a new word, a simple tap gives you the word’s meaning and pronunciation, and you can save it as a flashcard for later.

Chinese Graded Reading for kids

There are many similar concepts seen in all the Chinese graded readers for kids. As the level increases, the reading materials gradually become more and more challenging, and the sentence structures will be more complex. Many high-frequency words are used in the books to help kids memorize them. Also, there are many repeated sentences and phrases at the beginning that correspond with kids’ learning patterns.

Online Graded Readers:

• Little Fox Chinese

Little Fox Chinese is quite popular among Chinese teachers and kids. This site releases a number of Chinese stories, songs, and games for kids. There are five content levels, from basic vocabulary and sentence forming practice to simple sentences about thoughts and feelings. All the topics are pretty common, which makes them suitable for lessons and after-class independent reading. The stories are presented in videos, which draw kids’ attention. The transcription, pinyin, and translation are also provided in text format. This after-class reading comprehension and vocabulary practice can be checked by taking quizzes and playing games.

• eChineseWorld

There is a specific category for reading at eChineseWorld. It’s designed for K-12 Chinese learners according to ACTFL’s proficiency guidance, AP, and IB themes. It also satisfies the Common Core State Standards. There are three levels: novice, intermediate, and advanced. Each levels has three grades. Its reading collection includes elementary level eBooks, eFunland, Animated/Comic Reading, Secondary Social Studies Reading, and Secondary Leveled Readings. Chinese culture is integrated into the entire collection. Students can do independent reading and listen to it. But the post-lesson exercises and activities need to be assigned by the teacher.

Printed Graded Readers

• Rainbow Dragon 七色龙

The whole Rainbow Dragon series is about theme-based Chinese learning, including 15 common themes, such as family, body, food, time, etc. The stories are diverse and interesting, with lovely illustrations. For better learning, the content is scientifically graded by three levels of difficulty, targeting Chinese learners at overseas mainstream primary and junior high schools and international K-6 schools. After studying this series, kids will master around 2000 common Chinese words and be ready for daily communication. Besides the books, there are also mobile gaming apps and evaluation tools as a supplementary resource.

• Smart Cat 轻松猫

Smart Cat has two series: one for youth (10-18 years old) and one for kids (under ten years old). There are three grades at the youth stage and four grades at the kid stage. Reading is the critical skill it focuses on while listening, speaking, writing, and presenting are expanded skills. The books cover most HSK & YCT level 1-4 vocabulary, grammar, and topics. Books are constructed based on two related 10~12 sentence stories. It builds Chinese language and culture skills in a spiral-up approach. There are also supplementary audio resources and flashcards on its website. 

Graded Reader Apps:

• WaWaYaYa Joy Reader

Apple App Store and Google Play Store

There are 12 levels in the WaWaYaYa Joy Reader app, which cater to K-6 Chinese learners. This app is more like a digital library where you can find many familiar book series, such as Cool Panda, Rainbow Dragon, and I Read & I Learn. The full display of the books and friendly interface is quite neat and organized. The narration function is also authentic and pleasing. The variety of topics also adapts to the features of each age. They won’t be bored easily. And the price is also very reasonable for such a significant number of books. 

With so many websites, apps, and books to choose from, there’s no shortage of excellent graded readers to take your Chinese to the next level. These resources can be beneficial for learners of all levels and ages. Consistent reading practice not only helps with passive understanding of Chinese, it also strengthens your vocabulary and understanding of grammar concepts.

If you’re looking to try out graded readers for the first time, pick one or two resources to check out, and see which best suits your needs. You may quickly discover your new favorite Chinese learning resources and revolutionize your study routine!

The post Where To Find the Best Chinese Graded Readers appeared first on .

For those learning Chinese, reading can speed up progress by teaching grammar, vocabulary, and culture. But how do you choose Chinese books for your kids?

First, consider your child’s language level:

1. Beginner Stage: Just started learning Chinese, can recognize Pinyin and understand simple words or phrases.
2. Intermediate Stage: Can recognize Pinyin and basic Chinese characters and express themselves with simple sentences.
3. Advanced Stage: Can read independently and understand advanced grammar and syntax.

For beginner level children, Pinyin books with pictures are a great option. Intermediate level children can benefit from books with both characters and Pinyin. Advanced level children need books with higher-level words and complex sentences.

Every child has different needs, so here are some fantastic Chinese children’s books that cater to a range of levels.

1. Chineasy for Children: Learn 100 Words

Difficulty level: Beginner and intermediate

Author ShaoLan wrote this book to help inspire her children to learn Chinese. She developed a groundbreaking visual method for teaching Chinese characters in a way that is both easy and fun for kids.

Chineasy uses Shaolan’s novel method to transform Chinese characters into captivating and engaging pictograms. These colorful symbols provide the meaning and origin of Chinese characters. Children find it simpler to remember Chinese characters using this book because they view them as diverse, meaningful pictures. The book is organized by theme, such as numbers, family, animals, and food.

Please note that this book mainly focuses on learning Chinese characters. Some of the characters used in this book are in “traditional” forms.

This book is for those who would like to:

• Introduce or reinforce Chinese characters
• Build vocabulary
• Understand Chinese culture

Other Chineasy books to  consider:

• Chineasy: The New Way to Read Chinese
• Chineasy Everyday: Learning Chinese Through Its Culture

2. Easy Peasy Chinese: Mandarin Chinese for Beginners – 走向中文

Difficulty level: Beginner and intermediate

The author of “Easy Peasy Chinese,” Elinor Greenwood, is a writer and editor of children’s books. She has a Chinese degree from Leeds University and is enthusiastic about Mandarin Chinese education. She likes to motivate Chinese learners with fun activities and teaching aids, such as stickers and pictures.

If your child is just beginning to learn Chinese and wants to learn to introduce themselves, express numbers and dates, tell time, discuss food and interests, and discover Chinese culture, try this book! “Easy Peasy Chinese” is a fun and visually appealing book. It covers the basics for beginners and uses Pinyin. Your child will learn the most common words and phrases and then form simple Chinese sentences.

The book includes a CD to help your child learn how to pronounce Chinese phrases correctly.

This book is for those who would like to:

• Reinforce Chinese characters
• Build vocabulary
• Understand Chinese culture
• Improve pronunciation
• Have simple conversations

Accompanying Workbook:

Easy Peasy Chinese Workbook: Mandarin Chinese Practice for Beginners

3. Mina’s First Day of School – 米娜上学的第一天

(Simplified version; Traditional Version)

Difficulty level: Intermediate

Katrina Liu, an American-born Chinese author, wanted to raise her daughter to become bilingual. So, she created the Chinese picture book series “Mina Learns Chinese,” based on her daughter’s life. All her books are specifically designed for young audiences.

“Mina’s First Day of School” is a helpful picture book with an adorable story and engaging illustrations. Your child will follow Mina on her first day of school, reading easy-to-grasp dialogues and learning common phrases in Chinese.

The book includes Pinyin, Chinese characters, and English. Even if you are unable to read the book to your child, the audio book is available. Plus, Mina’s story helps mentally prepare your child for school. How great is that?

This book is for those who would like to:

• Build vocabulary
• Learn daily conversations
• Reinforce pronunciation
• Improve listening skills

More stories about Mina

• Mina’s Scavenger Hunt: Simplified Version; Traditional Version
• I love my grandpa: Simplified Version; Traditional Version

4. Father and Son – 父与子

Difficulty level: Intermediate

German cartoonist E.O. Plauen created the well-known comic “Father and Son” in 1934. The colorful comic artfully portrays the affection between a father and son. This version includes both Chinese characters and Pinyin.

Unlike the other recommendations listed here, “Father and Son” is a comic book series. While some parents may disapprove of comics as a medium, they can be used strategically to help children improve their reading and language skills. The images help children understand the language easier and students are often eager to read them, even in an unfamiliar language.

If you enjoyed “Father and Son” as a child, your kids will love it too, and they will try their best to understand the language to follow the compelling stories.

This book is for those who would like to:

• Build vocabulary
• Learn daily conversations

Another comic book recommendation with Pinyin:

• Big Head Son and Small Head Dad （大头儿子和小头爸爸）

5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid – 小屁孩日记

Difficulty level: Advanced

The author of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, Jeff Kinney, came up with the idea for this book series in 1998. It’s a collection of the unique diaries of a middle-school boy. The series was posted online in 2004 and published in 2007. Since then, it has sold over 200 million copies in 65 languages. Bilingual versions are also available, which can help non-native speakers understand the text by comparing the Chinese and English versions. The side-by-side formatting helps readers recognize new terms and untangle more complex sentences.

More importantly: It’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid! This series is so popular because children love it, and they want to keep reading it.”

This book is for those who would like to

• Build vocabulary
• Improve reading comprehension

Other Diary of a Wimpy Kid books

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

Introducing your child to Chinese literature at an early age can have many benefits, such as improving their language skills, increasing their cultural knowledge, and promoting a love of reading. With a wide range of books available, from picture books to comic books to bilingual editions, there is something for every young reader. As a parent, you have the power to ignite your child’s curiosity and create a lifelong love of learning. So why not choose a Chinese book and start enjoying some family reading time today?

The post Amazing Books for Kids Learning Chinese appeared first on .

1. Learning Chinese Characters

The way this book works is that it uses stories to help you remember both the meanings and pronunciations of Chinese characters. It first distinguishes the difference between ‘basic building blocks’ and ‘composite’ characters. Basic building blocks on their own mean one thing but when it’s combined with another basic building block it forms a new meaning and this new character thus becomes a composite character. The characters are listed one by one in the book and the character, pinyin ,and English meanings are given. Then the story to help you remember this is written next to it. If you are struggling with your reading skills this is definitely a book worth investing in. Get to know more about it here.

2. Chinese Flash Cards Kit

• Volume 1  HSK Levels 1 & 2 Elementary Level （1-349 most basic Chinese characters; 2000 words and phrases）
• Volume 2  HSK Levels 3 & 4 Intermediate Level （350-622 characters；1360 words and phrases）
• Volume 3 HSK Upper Intermediate Level  (623-1070 characters；2240 words and phrases）
• Volume 4 Tuttle Flash Cards  (448 main words; 1792 compounds – 2700 basic vocabulary items）

Developed with HSK study and AP test-prep in mind, the front of Tuttle’s Chinese Flash Cards give one Chinese character, a stroke order guide, four words and phrases, and look-alike alerts to help avoid confusion. On the reverse is as much information as a dictionary entry: Romanized pronunciation and English meanings, sample sentences for correct usage, plus helpful mnemonics and learning tips. An audio CD gives native-speaker pronunciations, and a handy organizing ring is the perfect way to keep the cards together when you’re on the go. Whether at home or on the go, you can use these cards to learn several new characters every day and watch your knowledge develop rapidly over time.

3. Chinese for Kids

• Set 1: 10 themes: Family, Animals, Clothing, Colors, Face/Body, Fruit, Numbers, Shapes, Snacks, Toys.
• Set 2: 10 themes: Food, Verbs, Tableware, Art supplies, Feelings, Nature, Jobs, Furniture, Bedtime and a Surprise Delivery

As the Brain Child Award Winner, the sets 1 & 2 of Chinese for Kids are good motivating of first readers for children ages 3-8 who are beginning to learn Chinese. Developed with teachers, the Spot Color Immersion Method combines simple sentences, humor, visual cues, repetition and context in just one line of text per page to help beginners learn vocabulary. Children soon read each page by themselves until they proudly finish their first little book in Chinese, then all 20, an achievement that builds confidence and motivates them to continue learning. Kids learn the correct pronunciation by listening to the online audio by a native speaker. 

4. Chineasy Series

Chineasy: 60 Flashcards

This essential companion to Chineasy includes 60 gorgeous full-color flashcards to practice and master the key characters of the revolutionary visual method for learning to read and write Chinese. Each flashcard features one large, bold Chinese character in a pictogram on the front, along with its English translation. On the back, the pictogram is “unpicked” to display its actual Chinese character, and includes three compound words that use it.

Chineasy: The New Way to Read Chinese

In Chineasy, the author teaches the key characters, called radicals, that are the language’s foundation, and then shows how they can be combined to form new words and even phrases. Once you’ve mastered these key characters, you can practice your skills with three stories—a fairy tale, an Asian legend, and a contemporary fable—told using the radicals. With Chineasy, readers of all ages will be able to navigate a Chinese menu, read signs and billboards, and grasp the meaning of most articles in a Chinese newspaper.

Chineasy for Children: Learn 100 Words

The book is organized by themes such as numbers, family, animals, and food, with each section covering vocabulary within that topic. Stories about the development of characters and customs provide the perfect introduction to Chinese culture, while games and activities allow children to put into practice what they have learned. Subsequent spreads feature lively scenes that help children recognize over 100 Chinese characters.

Chineasy Travel

The essential pocket-sized Chineasy guide to characters, phrases, and culture for travelers makes learning Chinese fun and easy. ShaoLan’s visual, building-block-style teaching method makes learning characters simple and fun: by learning common characters, readers can quickly grasp and communicate basic words and phrases while traveling.

Chineasy Workbook

Not only recognize the characters and words, but there is also a workbook to help practice your handwriting.

The post Recommended Chinese Characters Books appeared first on .

For Whom:

This series of Chinese Language Learning Textbooks are intended for:

• self-taught Chinese learners.
• undergraduates who major in the Chinese language.
• students enrolling in long-term programs both inside and outside China.

Design:

There are 28 volumes with a total of 34 books that are divided into elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. Each level has five different series which include: the comprehensive textbooks, the listening, the speaking, the reading, and the writing. These textbooks are systematical-designed and well-organized. The purpose of the design is to aid learner’s progress in his language skills, integrate Chinese capabilities as well as enhance their learning interest.

Among these, “the comprehensive textbooks” is the main learning resource material and the most widely used. Other series are taken as supporting materials that can help strengthen the specific areas of the Chinese Language Learning which the learners need to master. Thus, the following is mainly a review of the comprehensive series of books. 

Structure:

The elementary level is for the total beginners and elementary level learners.

The intermediate level contains a vocabulary of 2000 – 2500 words.

The advanced level contains a vocabulary of 3500 – 4000 words.

Achievements & Content:

The elementary level (2 volumes):

It aims to help learners to solve the most fundamental problems during their daily life and study. It’s about improving the comprehensive abilities such as listening and speaking skills.

There are a total of 30 lessons in volume 1. The topics are arranged from the introduction, basic social interactions, fundamental description of objects or issues and etc. A total beginner can even start with this volume because the whole pronunciation part is taught at the beginning of the lesson. The introduction has three parts which are the phonetic section, text section (text, vocabulary, grammar, exercises) and characters section.

 After learning all the phonetics, the last two remaining sections in each lesson will gradually remove pinyin from the texts in a reasonable pacing to ensure mastery.

There are 25 lessons in volume 2. The topics vary from daily activities such as travel experience to lifestyles. Each lesson contains commonly used grammar, word order, and sentence pattern. You can also learn some Chinese slang and culture. From this volume, all vocabulary, grammar, exercises, and cultural lessons are all based on the main article. Understanding each reading passage is the key to learn how this language works in daily life context. There are also several questions right next to each paragraph in order to inspire you to understand the content better. The exercise part is also very abundant including the grammar exercises and the general comprehensive exercises.

The intermediate level (2 volumes):

There are 15 lessons in each intermediate volume. There are diverse topics and genres mostly associated with modern society including Chinese celebrities’ stories, social problems, and some articles from magazines or books. All the topics are also very communicative and conversational since it also reflects the real life of Chinese people. It focuses on helping the learners train their expressions in paragraphs and the organization of simple texts. Learners can also know some basic knowledge about Chinese culture as well as developing cross-cultural consciousness. There is a language point summary after every five lessons. In each lesson, there are key grammar points or sentence patterns to learn. After the 2 volumes of books, you can reach the intermediate level.

The advanced level (2 volumes):

The advanced level volumes aim to help learners understand complicated language materials on various occasions. This encourages learners to exchange ideas with others on common topics and enable them to utilize general narrative, expository and argumentative expression. After learning with this series, learners can understand the major concepts and spirit of Chinese culture.

There are 15 lessons in each advanced volume. Language is used in more professional and higher contexts such as idioms and slangs. Learners will be able to understand and express appreciation more of the modern and traditional Chinese culture.      

The first part of the advanced level is quite different from the previous elementary and intermediate levels. The first part of the advanced level mainly focuses on learning characters and vocabulary words. The first volume uses the radicals and the formation of characters to help the learners review and get a more systematic understanding of the Chinese characters. The second volume focuses on the formation of words that help them sort out the words that may have already learned and to memorize new words.

Materials:

Each Volume includes an MP3 CD containing audio recordings to help you with vocabulary pronunciation, texts and listening practices.

Exercise

Each volume provides diverse types of exercises, questions, and multi-level exercises. All three levels have their own particular emphasis. For example, the elementary level focuses more on the pronunciation drills; the intermediate level focuses more on the grammar exercises; the advanced level particular emphasizing the systematic formation of words and comprehensive understanding of the article.

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My Take: Top 5 Best VPNs for China

(Far West China)

Since the Western Internet has been inaccessible here in China since 2009 due to the “Great Firewall”, you might have heard of the usage of a VPN. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that allows people to use the Internet like you would in the west. I have been using a variety of different VPN services over the past 5 years, and people seem to want to know what recommendations I have for VPN services. So here are 5 top VPN services that I personally know of and recommend based on my experience.

VyprVPN

– I turned to VyprVPN this past year and I have been impressed with their software and their “Chameleon” encryption protocol. Since starting in 2009, it is simple to use and it will give you 3 days to try it out for free. It has one of the best apps for mobile devices with ease of operation.

12VPN

– I have been with 12VPN since 2013 using it on my computer and phone. It is simple and it works every time. The software isn’t flashy and doesn’t have a dedicated iPhone or Android app. However, it is easy to set up in 5 minutes if you want to have it on your mobile device. It also stands out because of the communication from the company to the users because it always is constantly updating the changes or problems.

ExpressVPN

– I spent much of 2014 testing this VPN and it has a great design with their software. I recommend this to any one who doesn’t consider themselves as tech-savvy since it is simply and easy to operate.

Witopia

– It has been the longest-running VPN in China where many people who live in China know or have used it. It is an excellent choice for desktop users but less so if your primary use is mobile. It works but it can be pain to set up on your computer or mobile device. It is still a good option once you get the hard part complete.

PureVPN

– Another popular choice of VPN in China since there is over 1 million users worldwide. I am not a fan of the software because it seems like you are working with something from the 1990s. However, their performance is excellent especially with streaming. I also like how they have options for different types of Internet usages.

I will let you know there are hundreds of VPN options that you can choose from. Here are 5 options to narrow down your choices and reasonable in terms of price and performance.

Read more…

Gift Giving in China

(Transparent)

Over the past few weeks, my students have asked me about the culture of gift giving when it comes to Christmas. It made me start thinking about the different gift giving cultures between the Chinese and the West.

In China, there is a long history of gift giving due to the Confucian society. Giving gifts to family, friends, colleagues and etc. has been a way of showing respect and developing relationships. Gifts are usually given on holidays (Spring Festival) and birthdays. At the same time, special events like weddings, important meetings and etc. can be an appropriate time to bring a gift.

Common gifts in China are cigarettes, alcohol, tea, fruits and “hong bao” (红包 – hóng bāo). Each is used in different scenarios but the most common is the hong bao. It is a red envelope stuffed with cash and should be given under the right guidelines. Children only receive hong bao for Chinese New Year and the amount of money depends on the age as well as your relationship. Avoid the number 4 (四 – sì) at all costs, as it sounds like the word for “death” (死 – sǐ). At weddings the amount should be enough to cover the cost incurred for you to be there but it dependent on your relationship.

“Courtesy demands reciprocity” (礼尚往来 – lǐ shàng wǎng lái) is a famous Chinese saying that tells a lot about the gift giving culture of China. Chinese culture keeps track of what has been given and receive by people. You can expect that there will be reciprocity with any gift given to Chinese people whether right then or the future.

If you wrap any kind of gift, try to use red and gold in the colors. Red symbolizes luck and gold symbolizes wealth. Avoid the colors black and white, as they are associated with funerals and death. When you present a gift, use two hands to offer the gift as a show of respect and do not expect them to open It immediately because it is culturally unacceptable to do.

Some gifts to avoid are clocks, pears and a green hat to a man. The phrase “give a clock” (送钟 – sòng zhōng) sounds like a funeral ritual (送终 – sòng zhōng). To say “share a pear” (分梨 – fēn lí) sounds like the word for “separate” (分离 – fēn lí). Lastly, for man “wearing a green hat” (戴绿帽子 – dài lǜ mào zi) means that your girlfriend or wife is unfaithful.

As a foreigner, it is best to offer a gift from your hometown or country. Anything that is different is always interesting to Chinese individuals.

Read more…

How To Choose A Suitable Chinese Book

(Touch Chinese)

So you decide to learn Chinese systematically and you need a textbook. Now the question is “how to choose a suitable Chinese book for me?”. Let me share some tips with you about your options and recommendations.

For Beginners

You may not know a single word or know a few phrases like 你好(nǐ hǎo), you will need a book with a phonetic system and simple topics. Here you will be focused on learning the finals, initials and tones. You should take your time with these fundamentals, as they will help you build on your Chinese. A book I recommend is My Chinese Classroom Volume One because it is has a lot of practical topics for daily situations and does a great job of focusing on the pinyin, tones and rules of the spelling and tones changes.

For Intermediate learners

If you are an intermediate learner, you have a good grasp on the fundamentals and have a larger vocabulary. At this stage, you will be struggling with some grammar in Chinese where you may say things in the wrong way. Here you will need to focus on grammar points that will help you create more advance sentences. I would recommend Chinese Made Easier Volume Three as textbook. This book has clear introductions of new sentence frames with 5 different examples of how to use the new grammar point. It may be difficult to read if you haven’t learned Chinese characters because there is less pinyin and more characters to read.

For Advance Learners

Here, learners are fluent in his or her speaking ability and have gone through many books, but struggle with understanding native expressions. It difficult to understand native Chinese people because what they saying are Chinese idioms. At this level, you should learn the Chinese idioms in order to understand and use them in your speech. I recommend A Course in Chinese Colloquial Idioms to continue your Chinese learning. It teaches commonly used idioms that people know and use daily.

I hope these tips and recommendations were helpful. Take your time and keeping practicing your Chinese. Good luck on your Chinese learning.

Read more…

My Best Advice on Learning Chinese Characters

(hackingchinese)

This month’s challenge is about learning Chinese characters. I will be going in more detail about characters such as how to understand, learn, review and remember them. I will give a brief idea of what the topic is and then provide the link in order to keep it concise.

Understanding Chinese characters

It is important to learn how Chinese characters are constructed and how they work in order to learn them. You will need to understand the basics of character components and radicals in order to learn how to use the building blocks of character. There are four main types of Chinese characters that make of the Chinese language. It is important to know how each type of characters is constructed to learn how to read and understand them. Understanding phonetic components is important because you don’t have access to an incredible useful memory aid for characters and their pronunciation. There are clues in the phonetics, however you just need to know where to look. You should think of characters in terms of functional components. It is essential to understand the function of components in Chinese characters.

How to learn Chinese Characters

Now after some basic understanding of how characters work, it is time to look at how to learn them. As a beginner, you will need to look into the very basics of what you should do and what you should not. You will be able to refine your method of learning after time. Writing characters by hand can improve your memory of characters and your understanding of them.

How to review Chinese characters

In order to be able to use Chinese properly, you need to remember the words you learnt. I would say reviews spread over time are more efficient than when they are massed together. It can help us study the words we about to forget rather than those we don’t’ really need to review. You can use Skritter as a way to learn characters because it gives people spaced repetition and handwriting characters for review. There are 7 ways of learning how to write Chinese characters, whether writing on a screen, or fingertip on your palm. There are a lot of options depending your learning style. After all this talk about review and studying, you should use the words you learned with native speakers. It will help you learn how to use it in a purposeful way.

Remembering Chinese characters

Remembering is important in your Chinese learning. Memory is a skill that you can learn and will help you help in Chinese. Memory aids and mnemonics can enhance your learning. Memorization of characters is essential to you for to learn Chinese.

Read more…

Conclusion
This is a collection of information that I wanted to include in this month’s challenge. I hope it has proven to be helpful to anyone who started this challenge. Good luck in your Chinese learning.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of January. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – Jan 2015 appeared first on .

Structure

The program implements a story-based approach that monitors the lives of six college students and their daily lives. The scenarios are carefully designed so that students will have context-specific vocabulary that they will actually use when they speak. Students can then test their understanding of the situations and vocabulary through online, and hard-copy workbooks.

How It Works

Basically, Modern Chinese will provide you with all materials including the workbooks, supplementary materials, textbooks and curriculum, as a package. To tailor the program specifically to the needs of your institution, the makers allow interested customers to participate in training webinars that inform educators about how the products can benefit their Chinese program.

Review

Thumbs Up

• Designed specifically for adult learners.
• Scenarios presented were created through huge amount of research into what the target age group actually wants to learn.
• Website is easy to follow, and there are many resources, textbooks and workbooks available to supplement learning.
• You are allowed to set up a free-consultation to ask more questions, and cater the program for your school’s needs.
• The website, the materials and the people behind Modern Chinese are all extremely professional.
• Resources are also available exclusively for teachers who want to adopt the program.

Thumbs Down

• All the hard-copy materials can be pricey for those on a budget.
• Needs to be facilitated by a professional, not designed for self-study.
• Online workbook assignments and practice can take quite a while to load.

Verdict

I would highly recommend Modern Chinese due to its understanding of everything ranging from the students needs to the intricacies of textbook-design. The website contains a 34 slide sampler which exemplifies the amount of research put into every detail of coming up with this series. They extensively researched what the age group wanted to learn, and what would be the best stylistic approaches to maximize gains from the Chinese learning experience.

The students, and learning process were constantly in the minds of the Modern Chinese program when it was created. Not only did they keep the big picture in mind, but the creators of this series also focused on how the little things like book design, and how much pinyin to use would affect their students.

For these reasons, and specifically to course facilitators and Chinese education professionals, I strongly recommend at least fixing up a meeting with the makers of Modern Chinese to discuss its compatibility with your Mandarin program. Modern Chinese sees itself as a future leader in the adult Chinese-earning industry, and with such a customer-friendly, and detailed product, it has a strong case behind its claim.

The post Modern Chinese Review appeared first on .

Rules for Changing Tones in Chinese

(written Chinese)

The situation when “一” (yī) needs to be a changed tone:

1. Before the 4th tone, “一” should be changed to 2nd tone（yí）.
一样： yi + yàng -> yí yang

2. Before the 1st tone, 2nd tone and 3rd tone “一” should become 4th tone.（yì)
一般： yi + bān -> yì bān

一年： yi + nián -> yì nián

一起： yi + qǐ -> yì qǐ

3. If “一” is between two verbs, it should be 5th tone.
试一试 (shì yi shì)

4. If “一” is between a verb and a measure word or between an adjective and a measure word, generally it should also be the 5th tone.
好一点 (hǎo yi diǎn)

The situation when “不” (bù) needs to be changed tone:

1. Before the 4th tone, “不” should be changed to 2nd tone.
不是：bu + shì -> bú shì

2. If it’s used as verb complement or used between two same words, it should become 5th tone.
贵不贵(guì bu guì)

The situation when 3rd-tone needs to be changed tone:

1. If an entry’s tones are double 3rd-tones, the first tone needs to be changed to 2nd tone.
很 (hěn) 好 (hǎo) -> (hén hǎo)

2. If it’s a three or more 3rd-tone entry, the basic rule is that all the 3rd tones before the last 3rd tone need to be changed to 2nd tone.

For example, the tone of “处 (chǔ) 理 (lǐ) 厂(chǎng)” which means treatment plant needs to become “chú lí chǎng”.

But sometimes, we need to analyze the structure of the word or sentence to pronounce it correctly.

However, the changing 3rd tone is a complicated case. Sometimes, it depends on how you separate the word or sentence that will decide if the pronunciation is correct or not.

Focusing on communication to learn Chinese

(Hacking Chinese)

There are many people who focus mostly on communication and very little on form. In order to be able to communicate in a language, you need certain basic knowledge, which takes longer to acquire in Chinese.

It’s all about efficiency

As we shall see, the problem isn’t really that communication isn’t a good way of learning, it’s that it’s hard to do it enough for it to work properly!

Focusing on communication as a beginner

If you focus only on communication, you run the risk of neglecting some aspects of Chinese that are actually very important. The same can be said about many other areas of Chinese, such as writing characters, pronunciation in general and perhaps also grammar and word choice.

A balanced approach

Communication is great for a number of reasons. I want a lot of communication, but I want it mixed with actual studying.

Communicate as much as possible

The fact that it’s hard to communicate doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. If you don’t, you’ll never learn Chinese.

Focusing on communication as an advanced learner

Once you reach an advanced level, focusing mainly on communication is the smoothest and most common method both of maintaining and expanding your ability.
You need to study and make your passive vocabulary and knowledge of grammar is equal to your active skill.
You need spaced repletion software. You need focused practice to improve and avoid fossilization.

Conclusion
I think we should use the language as much as possible, but I also think we need to study hard to overcome our weaknesses and learn more efficiently, regardless if we are beginners or advanced learners.

Comparing language courses: Private vs Group vs Online Lessons

(Study More Chinese)

Private Learning:

Pros:

• provide the perfect opportunity for quick progression due to having the sole focus of a teacher.
• devise a learning plan not only based on your language level but also to your personal learning goal.
• you pay as you learn.

Cons:

• Can be expensive.
• Lessons are usually intensive so you need to be focused at all times.
• less practice of conversational skills with a variety of people.

Group Learning:

Pros:

• Meet new people with the same interest of learning a new language.
• Improve your use of spoken language.
• The cost is cheaper.

Cons:

• Less flexible.
• You may not study as quickly as you wish.
• Travel to classes may add to your initial cost

Online Learning:

Pros:

• Online learning materials are easy to access.
• Learners have access to a variety of multimedia.
• The cost and payment cycle may be flexible.

Cons:

• You’ll need lots of motivation and determination to study alone.
• There’s the possibility that you could fall behind with your study plan.
• The lack of personal interaction presents less chance to practise your speaking skills.

How to learn to understand spoken Chinese

(Yoyo Chinese)

Three common problems with listening ability in Chinese

Problem #1 – Listening speed:

The time in between you hearing a sound and recalling its meaning is immense. Since this happens often, you’re likely to fail to understand what someone says even though you know all the words.

Problem #2 – Phonological awareness:

You need to be able to correctly distinguish the different sounds in Mandarin. Research suggests that you should try to listen to many different native speakers, not just your teacher.

Problem #3 – Vocabulary:

This isn’t a listening problem! It’s because you don’t know enough words. Expand your vocabulary by reading and listening more, preferably using text or audio that is at or slightly above your current level.

Context plays a very important role. You should strive to understand meaningful sentences said within context, because that’s the kind of listening ability you really need.

An Introduction to Cantonese

(Chinese language blog)

In Hong Kong, the official language isCantonese (广东话 – guǎng dōng huà), while the mainland and Taiwan both useMandarin (普通话 – pǔ tōng huà). Cantonese is also an official language in Macau, and it is the lingua franca of Guangdong Province.

• Mandarin is the official language of mainland China and Taiwan. Cantonese is the official language of HK and also one in Macau.
• Both are considered “Chinese language” – they use the same written language, but they are mutually unintelligible when spoken. Some people used the “the chicken talking to the duck” (鸡同鸭讲 – jī tóng yā jiǎng) to describe a Mandarin and Cantonese speaker talking to each other.
• Mandarin uses simplified Chinese characters, while Cantonese uses traditional. If you know traditional characters, it’s easy to understand the simplified ones, but not the other way around.
• Mandarin has a mere four tones compared with the six of Cantonese.
• There are tons of words and phrases unique to both Mandarin and Cantonese. For example, a large number of English words made their way into Cantonese when HK was a British colony.
• Many Chinese who have immigrated to other countries are Cantonese speakers.

As there are many more Mandarin speakers (960 million) than Cantonese (62 million), learning Mandarin will enable you to communicate with a lot more people. Mandarin is the official language of the PRC, so it is used in government offices, schools, companies, and on TV.

Basically, you’ll have much more exposure to Mandarin than Cantonese in China. Unless you’re planning on settling in Hong Kong or Macau, it’s a better idea to study Mandarin. Even if you visit these areas or decide to live there, Mandarin is commonly used and many people can understand and speak it these days.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of September. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

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Pros and Cons of Discovering Chinese Pro

Pros

• The app covers a lot of content and it covers it well.
• There are four volumes comprised of twelve lessons each.

• There are many illustrations and animations to keep students with visual and auditory learning styles engaged. The user interface of the Discovering Chinese Pro software is very intuitive and easy to master.
• It provides unit assessments for students.

• It allows teachers to track homework, practice scores and unit assessments.
• Its extensive flexibility allows it to have a high school class or private tutoring curriculum formatted around the use of this series of books.
• It works on laptops, iPads, and Android devices.
• The collection includes many different materials, including books, worksheets, calligraphy exercise sets, CDS and teacher’s books.
• It takes advantage of the “flipped classroom” concept and provides added flexibility for those who prefer to study alone.

Cons

• Regarding the prices, the smartest option would be to subscribe to it through the online curriculum in Better Chinese or via the iOS app “Discovering Chinese Pro,” since you can get a much more cost-effective deal out of it.
• However, if you are an analog learner who can’t learn from a computer or from an iPad, then you should only buy one semester’s worth of books at a time, and only get the reading books and CDs, which are the most essential materials for your learning. The calligraphy exercises you can do on any piece of paper by repeating the writing of new characters. That way you can learn everything you would learn from the entire collection, but without spending all of that money. But if you can afford the splurge, then get it!

Recommended For:

• High school and middle school students with no previous Mandarin learning experience.
• Young adults with no previous experience of learning Mandarin.
• Prospective college students preparing to take the Chinese SAT and /or AP Chinese Language and Culture tests (use more advanced books in collection, such as 2A and 2B).

“Discovering Chinese Pro” selects its topics similarly to other textbooks but it goes even further with its attention to details and variety of practice opportunities. The most interesting thing about the app is that it is tailored towards an e-classroom style.

While the e-classroom is a great idea in theory, one hopes that principals and school boards will have the courage and confidence to try something new and thereby change the future of Chinese-learning, and even learning in general. For all schools, teachers and students who progressively embrace the flipped classroom model, this application gets a strong recommendation from DigMandarin.

Here is a short interview of Better Chinese

DigMandarin asked several questions which the audiences would be interested in. If you have more questions, please feel free to comment below. We will get the answers for you as soon as possible.

1. Is the Discovering Chinese series available both offline and online?

Yes and no. On the iPad, the content is available offline. Through the Web, the content will not be accessible. Teachers and students can also purchase the companion textbook which is like a traditional printed textbook that can be used when the website it down. It includes the lesson materials, vocabulary and grammar sections.

2. Why did Better Chinese make this kind of online learning system? Are you mainly focusing on the online education? What do you think of it?

We believe that the future of learning will be digital, but in the interim it’s changing the way students are learning.

We focus on learning. We want to provide teachers with the best set of classroom materials and training to help teachers whether they choose to teach via traditional or technology forward methods. That is why Discovering Chinese Pro is not only a digital curriculum, but also has a traditionally printed companion textbook for teachers who prefer to teach in a more traditional manner.

“Teachers want a seamless platform that gives them multiple touch points to connect with students and provide them with the ability to customize the curriculum and differentiated instruction.” This is a James Lin quote. “Discovering Chinese Pro combines a proven Chinese language curriculum with classroom management tools to create a highly effective Chinese language learning environment with high participation rates.”

3. How is the participation system working? How can the teachers and students cooperate learning with each other?

Before technology, to encourage speaking practice, the teacher would ask questions and have the students respond or call on certain students to respond. However, what would happen is that typically the more outgoing or confident students tended to respond more and the students who were more shy or nervous about their pronunciation would tend to participate less.

Through DCP, students are able to practice speaking in smaller groups or individually and receive feedback from the teacher in class or outside of class through our audio and video feedback options. For example, after reviewing a speaking submission, the teacher can record her own voice with the correct pronunciation for the student to hear and practice.

As a result, our teachers have seen participations rates on the speaking front increase dramatically through this program.

4. What distinguishes Better Chinese from other Chinese learning books?

There are many factors that distinguish us from others. These are :

1. Our expertise in teaching non-heritage learners and our ability to make Chinese approachable for them to learn.
2. Our training programs combine industry thought leaders with the practical usage of our materials. For example, how do you create a flipped classroom with our materials.
3. Our technology pedagogy. Given our location in Silicon Valley, we have always found ways to leverage technology in fresh new ways for the Chinese language classroom.

5. What is your future plan about the e-education?

“We are at a very interesting intersection in time where access to technology, understanding about learning, and innovation in technology are converging.

Our plans for the future is to better capture learning styles and learning progress to provide students and instructors more clarity about where they are, to better offer differentiated instructions as well as customized instruction.” James Lin

co-author: Dhruv Chatterjee

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