We’ve rounded up our list of top 5 mistakes that Chinese learners make, as well as some tips on how to avoid them:

1. Not using “的”

We’ve mentioned before that “的 (de)” is one of the most frequently used characters in Chinese. So why do so many English-speakers forget to use it?

Well, the main reason this mistake is so common is because there isn’t an equivalent of “的” in English. The closest equivalent is “’s” in the phrase, “the dog’s collar,” which shows that the collar belongs to the dog. In Chinese, we use “的 (de)” to show that the collar belongs to the dog – directly translated, this would be “狗的项圈

“的” can also attribute certain characteristics to a noun. For example, “a white dog” would be “白色的狗.”

The three “de’s (的，地，得)” in Chinese grammar

2. Using “和” to connect sentences

One of the most common English words is the word “and,” which we use to connect nouns, verbs, phrases and sentences. “And” is often translated to “和(hé)” in Chinese. However, in Chinese, you cannot use “和” to connect sentences – the result would sound very awkward!

For example: “I live in an apartment, and I have a dog.”
Incorrect translation: “我住在公寓里和我有一只狗。”
Correct translation: “我住在公寓里，还有我有一只狗”

“还有(hái yǒu)” translates to “also.”

In the above example, you actually don’t even need to use a connector like “还有(hái yǒu)” at all. The sentence would be grammatically correct without it: “我住在公寓里，我有一只狗。”
You now might be wondering when we can use “和 (hé). ”   The answer is simple – we can use “和 (hé) ” to connect nouns, verbs, and short non-sentence phrases.

For example: “I have two older brothers and a younger sister.”
Correct translation: “我有两个哥哥和一个妹妹。”

When can I use “和?”

3. Using “是” with adjectives

You may know that the word for “is / are” in Chinese is “是 (shì.)” Another tricky aspect of adjectives in Chinese, though, is that we never use “是” to describe a noun. Instead, we usually use the word “很(hěn),” which means “very.”

For example: “He is tall.”
Incorrect translation: “他是高。”
Correct translation: “他很高。”

Using 很with Adjectives in Chinese

4. Using “吗” for all Yes/No questions

Asking a question in Chinese is one of the things many students stumble over. In Chinese, you typically put the character “吗(ma)” at the end of the sentence to function as a question marker. Using this word can transform almost any statement into a question.

However, sometimes a Yes/No question takes on the format of “是不是” or “有没有,” a format which we call positive-negative inversion. It is the equivalent of saying, “Are you or are you not…?” When using this format, you do not also use “吗,” as the positive-negative inversion already marks the sentence as a question.

For example: “Are you American?”
Incorrect translation: “你是不是美国人吗?”
Correct translation: “你是不是美国人？”
Correction translation (using “吗”): “你是美国人吗？”

5. Pronunciation errors

This is probably the most common mistake among all Chinese learners, and one of the hardest to correct.

By now, you probably know how important tones are in Chinese. Pronouncing something in a different tone can result in a completely different word or phrase, with an entirely different meaning!

For example: “老板(lǎo bǎn)” means “boss.” But “老伴(lǎo bàn)” means “spouse” or “husband/wife.” That could be an embarrassing mistake to make!

There is no specific rule or clear-cut way to achieve perfect pronunciation. The quickest way to get better is to practice with a native speaker, who can correct your tone when necessary. Other things you can do to improve pronunciation are listening to Chinese radio and watching Chinese TV, while trying to mimic the tone of the speakers you hear.

We hope these tips will help you avoid the 5 most common mistakes students make when learning Chinese! However, don’t be discouraged if you do make a mistake now and then. It’s an inevitable part of learning a new language!

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In this post, we’ll explain the formula for a simple Noun + Adjective sentence. Let’s break it down by using the example for how to say “He is tall,” in Chinese.

• The Chinese gender pronoun for “he / him” is “他(tā.)”
• The Chinese word for “is / are” is “是(shì.)”
• The Chinese word for “tall” is “高(gāo.)”

With that logic, saying “he is tall” in Chinese should be “他是高(tā shì gāo),” right?

Wrong!

Unlike English, Chinese nouns do not necessarily have to be linked to adjectives with “is / are.” Instead, you would use a word or adverb that describes the degree of the adjective, such as the word “very” or “extremely.”

Here are some examples:

• “他真高” (tā zhēn gāo) “He is so tall.”
• “他好高” (tā hǎo gāo) “He is very tall.”
• “他比较高.” (tā bǐ jiào gāo)“He is pretty tall.”
• “他不高.” (tā bù gāo)“He is not tall.”

However, what if you simply want to say that “He is tall,” in Chinese, without making a statement on the degree of his height? Well, in that case, we use the Chinese character, “很”.

When “很 (hěn)” = “is.”

If you plug “很” into Google Translate, that’s the answer you will get literally translates to “很” is “very” in English.. However, in Chinese, “很” is what we call a “dummy-linking adverb” when you attach it to an adjective. It then no longer carries that particular meaning. So “他很高” is translated into and accepted as, “he is tall.”

The basic formula for Noun + “is” + Adjective in Chinese: Noun + 很 + Adjective.

Here are some more sentences examples with “很” as a dummy-linking adverb:

这个菜很好吃。(zhè gè cài hěn hǎo chī)
This dish is delicious.

你的头发很长。(nǐ de tóu fa hěn cháng)
Your hair is long.

中文很难。(zhōng wén hěn nán)
Chinese is difficult.

这个表演很糟糕。(zhè gè biǎo yǎn hěn zāo gāo)
This performance is disastrous.

However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.

When does “很 (hěn)” mean “very?”

When you are describing something that is a fact or perceived fact, you no longer use the formula listed above. Adjectives like “tall, difficult, long, and disastrous” are relative and depend on the situation. A perceived fact would be something that is indisputable, such as color.

So saying “The dress is blue” in Chinese would not be “裙子很蓝.” This is incorrect and would translate into “The dress is very blue.” Instead, to say “the dress is blue,” you would say, “裙子是蓝色的.” The formula is as follows: Noun + “是” + Adjective + “的.”

Another way you can use adjectives in Chinese is by applying them before nouns. In English, you might say, “The pretty girl.” In Chinese, that would be “漂亮的女孩.” (This uses de 的 to describe the person)

So, what if you were to say “很漂亮的女孩?” That would mean “the very pretty girl.” Since “很” is not linking the adjective to the noun in this case, it retains the meaning of “very.” The basic formula for “Very” + Adjective + Noun is: “很” + Adjective + “的” + Noun
Here are some examples of using “很” to mean “very” with adjectives:

• 很好的座位。Very good seats.
• 很有钱的人。Very wealthy person.
• 很美丽的风景。Very beautiful scenery.
• 很难的作业。Very difficult homework.

We hope this post was helpful! Remember to practice and time along with these Chinese tips, your 中文 will soon be “很好!”

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To help you along your journey, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most common Chinese characters and how to use them.

1. 的 (de)

Known as one of the three “de” particles of Chinese, “的” indicates possession and attributes adjectives.

Examples:

• 小明的狗 (Xiǎomíng de gǒu) Xiao Ming’s dog
• 红色的花 (hóng sè de huā) Red Flowers

2. 一 (yī)

“一” means one. The reason why “一” is so common is because it can also mean the following: first, best, a little, once, only, etc. So many phrases require the 一 character, which bumps it to second place on this list. It is also a component of many ChengYu or Chinese idioms.

Examples:

我吃了一个苹果。(Wǒ chī le yī gè píngguǒ.)
I ate one apple.

我拿了第一名。 (Wǒ ná le dìyī míng.)
I got first place.

你是我的唯一。(Nǐ shì wǒ de wéiyī.)
You are my one and only.

3. 了 (le)

“了” is loosely used to indicate tenses, specifically past tense or ongoing incidents. It can also be used to intensify adjectives.

Example:

我吃晚饭了。(Wǒ chī wǎnfàn le.)
I ate dinner.

我来到美国两年了。(Wǒ lái dào Měiguó liǎng nián le.)
I’ve been in America for two years.

你的中文太好了。(Nǐde Zhōngwén tài hǎo le.)
Your Chinese is too good!

4. 是 (shì)

“是“ is closest to the meaning of “to be,” in English. Because Chinese don’t have conjugations, there are no other forms of this basic word. It is mostly used to link two nouns or pronounstogether.

Example:

我是中国人。(Wǒ shì Zhōngguórén.)
I am [a] Chinese [person].

这是一本书。(Zhè shì yī běn shū.)
This is a book.

她的鞋是红色的。(tāde xié shì hóngsè de.)
Her shoes are [the color] red.

5. 我 (wǒ)

“我” means “I,” so it is not surprising that this is a very common word. It also appears in phrases such as “us,” and “we.”

Examples:

我回家了。(Wǒ huíjiā le.)
I went home.

我们一起去的。(Wǒmen yīqǐ qù de.)
We went together.

6. 不 (bù)

“不” means “no” or “not,” and is used to negate other words. It is commonly used with “是” as in, “不是” to mean “isn’t.”

Examples:

他不是美国人。(tā bú shì Měiguó rén.)
He is not American.

我不想去。(Wǒ bù xiǎng qù.)
I don’t want to go.

7. 在 (zài)

“在” is a preposition that can be confusing for many Chinese learners. It is mostly commonly used to indicate location, similar to how “at” is used in English. In Chinese, it also follows verbs to describe the place of an action. It can also be used on its own to describe an ongoing action.

Examples:

我在机场。(Wǒ zài jīchǎng.)
I am at the airport.

你住在哪里？(Nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ?)
Where do you live?

我在学习。(Wǒ zài xuéxí.)
I am studying.

8. 人 (rén)

Another common Chinese character, “人” means “people,” “person,” or “man.” You may have noticed in #4 that “人” is often used to describe people from a specific country. Instead of “Chinese” as an adjective, we say “中国人” or “Chinese people.” It also appears in words such as “夫人 (wife),” and “男人 (men)” and many other nouns that relate to people. Another word for the Chinese currency, “元 (yuán)” is “The People’s Currency” or “人民币 (rén mín bì).”

Examples:

你是外国人吗？(Nǐ shì wàiguó rén ma?)
Are you a foreigner?

人生的目的是什么?(Rénshēng de mùdì shì shénme?)
What is the meaning of [human] life?

9. 们 (men)

As you may have seen in number 5, “们” is used as a plural for human nouns, as well as human pronouns such as the three “tas” of Chinese: 他，她， 它. However, you do not usually use “们” with numbers or precise measurements. They can be used with imprecise quantifiers such as “some,” or “a lot”.

Examples:

女士们，先生们，大家晚上好! (Nǚshì men，xiānsheng men，dàjiā wǎnshàng hǎo!)
Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening!

我和朋友们一起吃了饭。(Wǒ hé péngyǒu men yīqǐ chī le fàn.)
I ate with my friends.

他们去哪里了？（tāmen qù nǎlǐ le?）
Where did they go?

10. 有 (yǒu)

The main meaning of “有” is “have,” to indicate possession. “Not have” or “don’t have” is “没有。” However, “有” is also used to establish the existence of something, like “there is” in English. Another common Chinese phrase that includes “有” is “所有,” which means “all” or “everything.”

Examples:

你有问题吗？(Nǐ yǒu wèntí ma?)
Do you have a question?

我没有钱。(Wǒ méiyǒu qián.)
I don’t have money.

这里有个错误。(Zhèlǐ yǒu gè cuòwù.)
There is a mistake here.

Related learning content:

• Chinese Character Course
• A Comprehensive Guide for Chinese Beginners

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One of the first things that any Chinese lesson, book, or teacher will teach you is “你好 (nǐ hǎo).” 你好 translates into “Hello.” Funny enough, native Chinese speakers rarely use this when speaking to each other. Why you ask? It can come off as overly formal, nonchalant, or even strange.

“你好” is most frequently used when you are meeting someone for the first time, such as being introduced to a business contact. This greeting is often used when shaking hands. However, once you see that business contact again, you should switch to a different greeting. Since you have already met them, saying “你好” can come off as being unfriendly.

Here’s what they actually should say:

吃饭了吗？(chī fàn le mā) Have you eaten?

Unlike the English equivalent, this is not an invitation to lunch. This greeting is basically the same as “hello.” The origin of the greeting dates back to ancient times when the majority of China had very limited food provisions. At that time, whether someone had eaten or not was severely linked to their overall health and wellbeing.

A couple acceptable responses to this greeting would be:

• “吃了，你呢? (chī le, nǐ nē)” “Yes I have, what about you?”
• “还没，你呢? (hái méi, nǐ nē) “Not yet, what about you?”

“好久不见(hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn)！Long time no see!”

It’s pretty self-explanatory. This greeting is used when you haven’t seen an acquaintance for a while. Keep in mind that the length of time is relative. For example, if you usually see someone every day, it would be appropriate to say this if you haven’t seen him or her in a week or so.

“最近好吗? (zuì jìn hǎo mā) How have you been?”

This is a great follow-up to the previous greeting, although it can also be used as a standalone greeting when accompanied by their name. For example, “Lucy! 最近好吗？”

This greeting is similar to asking someone, “How are you?” Chinese people are not expecting you to give them an eloquent monologue of your problems or achievements. A simple “Good, how are you?” is what they want to hear.

Appropriate responses are:

• “还行! 你呢 ? (hái xíng nǐ nē) Not bad! And you?”
• “好。你呢? (hǎo. nǐ nē) Good. And you?”

“喂? (wéi or wèi) Hello? [When answering the phone]”

When you answer the phone, this is just like saying “Yes?” or “Hello?”. Often, Chinese people will follow up with a “你好” if they feel the need to be polite, just like “喂，你好?”

“早! (zǎo) ’Morning!”

This is a very short and straightforward greeting. It’s a shortened version of “早安 (zǎo ān)”or “早上好 (zǎo shàng hǎo)”, which both mean “Good morning.”

In Chinese, you can also combine any general time phrase with “好” to form a time-relevant greeting.

• 下午好(xià wǔ hǎo) Good afternoon.
• 晚上好(wǎn shàng hǎo) Good evening.

The best response is to repeat the greeting given to you.

“去哪？(qù nǎ) Where are you going?”

This might seem rude and nosy to some foreigners, but it’s fairly customary in China to ask someone where they are going if you see them leaving their house. Alternatively, you can ask, “出去玩(chū qù wán)?” which is like saying, “Going out to play?”

If they respond, “Yes,” you can follow up with a “出去要小心! (chū qù yào xiǎo xīn)” or “Be careful!” which is a nice way of letting them know to have a safe travel.

“回来了(Huí lái le)! You’re back!”

Again, if someone sees you coming home, they might use this greeting. It may seem like they’re stating the obvious, but it’s a way for Chinese people to express interest in your life. Other similar greetings to this are:

• “下班了? (xià bān le) Off work?”
• “逛街了? (guàng jiē le) You went shopping?”

Typical responses to these greetings are:

• “嗯 (èn)” or “诶 (èi)” which means, “Yeah, yep.”

“欢迎光临! (huān yíng guāng lín) Welcome!”

This greeting is often used in restaurants, shops, and other commercial locations. You may also hear the shortened form, “欢迎 (huān yíng)” at the beginning of TV shows, performances, and announcements.

No response is necessary for these types of greetings.

“嗨(Hāi),” “嘿(Hēi),” “哈喽(Hā lóu),” “Hi, Hey and Hello!”

These are Internet style of greetings that have become popular with the younger generation of Chinese people. They are far less formal than 你好, but just as versatile when it comes to greetings. They are commonly used over text and instant messaging, but are often said in person as well.

Keep in mind that these are very casual, and should not be used in more formal circumstances as they can be seen as disrespectful. So, next time you run into your Mandarin-speaking friends, ditch the generic “你好” and try one of these!

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The Chinese stroke order system was designed to produce aesthetically pleasing, symmetrical, and balanced characters written with brush and ink on paper. It allows for the minimum amount of hand movements, meaning that the writing flows across the page – remember that scene in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, where Jen Yu and Yu Shulian compare the art of calligraphy with sword-strokes?

Luckily for Chinese learners, the rules aren’t too complicated, and they have a logic of their own when you apply them consistently. They also conserve energy, so your hand won’t be tired from writing.

Why bother to learn stroke order?

It’ll give you much better Chinese handwriting, winning approval from your teachers and any other Chinese person who tries to read it.

Well-written Chinese characters are much easier to read, and knowing the correct stroke order helps you to memorize more characters, as your hand seems to retain a kind of muscle memory with practice.

Also, it’s much easier to understand the different patterns and elements that make up Chinese characters when you know how they’re supposed to be written.

Knowing the right Chinese character stroke order also improves your reading ability, because the structure of the characters will be more familiar to the eye.

When you want to input a character using Pleco’s handwriting option, the app will recognize the correct stroke order even if your handwriting isn’t the best.

How to master stroke order

First, the main rules of Hanzi stroke order:

1. Top to bottom

When a Chinese character is “stacked” vertically, with elements on top of each other, like the character 立 (lì) or “to stand,” the rule is to write from top to bottom.

Other examples:

三 (sān) three

主 (zhǔ) main, master

亏 (kuī) deficit

2. Left to right

When a Chinese character has elements standing next to each other, the character is written left to right. Take a look at the “吃 (chī)” example below, which means “to eat.” The “mouth” radical is written before the element on the right.

Other examples:

从 (còng) from

3. Symmetry matters

When you are writing a character that is centered and more or less symmetrical (but not stacked from top to bottom) the general rule is to write the center stroke first. Check out the character “小(xiǎo)” which means “small.”

Other examples:

永 (yǒng) forever

水 (shuǐ) water

4. Horizontal first, vertical second

Horizontal strokes are always written before vertical strokes. Check out how to write the character “十(shí)” or “ten.”

Other examples:

王 (wáng) a surname

5. Enclosures before content

Build your fences before you put the chickens inside.

You want to create the frame of the character before filling it in. Check out how to write the character 日(rì) or “sun.”

Other examples:

目 (mù) eye

6. Close frames last

Let the people into the house before you shut the door.

So, with the character “回(huí)” or “to return,” you write the outer enclosure first (see rule 5), then the little box, then the line at the bottom that “shuts the door.”

Other examples:

国 (guó) country

园 (yuán) garden

7. Character-spanning strokes last

Strokes that cut across all the other strokes are often written last. For example, the character 半 (bàn), which means “half.” The long vertical line is written last because it cuts through the rest of the character across its whole length.

Other examples:

中 (zhōng) center, middle

申 (shēn) apply

Other tips for learning stroke order

There are a number of Chinese learning apps, e.g. Skritter, that offer animated stroke-order diagrams, as well as a breakdown of the radicals, tones, and pronunciations associated with each character.

Personally, I prefer to use a good, old-fashioned pen and paper, because I feel more connected to the characters that way – it’s a very different experience than swiping on a screen with a finger or stylus.

In the beginning, I also had a set of flashcards that were held together with a keyring to help organize the characters I was practicing.

For all Chinese characters orders practice, you can download the sheet here.

Top tip: make sure before buying a set of flashcards that they include stroke order.

Another handy learning tool is grid paper, or 田字格纸 (tiánzìgézhǐ), which helps to keep your characters looking well-proportioned and your handwriting neat. There is even grid paper called 米字格纸 (mǐzìgézhǐ), which includes diagonal guidelines to make your characters even neater and clearer.

Hanzi Grids offers downloads of printable grids that you can practice on. Or you can seek out a Chinese stationery shop – always a favorite pastime of mine – and buy a big exercise book to practice with at home or in the library.

Whichever tools you use, I recommend doing a little bit of practice every day. Research has shown that “little and often” is the way to go. One of the benefits of digital Chinese learning apps is that they will record your daily practice time and keep you on track, as well as give you the most appropriate content for your level.

For more on how to get started learning Chinese characters have a look at this Dig Mandarin article: Chinese Characters: Are they worth learning? How do I get started?

To further enhance your understanding and mastery of Chinese characters, explore these valuable resources. Check out the comprehensive list of Chinese strokes and the list of Chinese characters. For a structured learning experience, consider Chinese character courses and utilize various resources for learning Chinese characters. To improve your writing skills, learn how to write Chinese characters and start practicing handwriting. Don’t forget to engage in regular Chinese handwriting practice to reinforce your learning. Happy studying!

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