MandarinBean Review: Practice Chinese Reading and Listening
With the wealth of internet resources of the modern age, many people are turning to websites designed to help mandarin students, blogs, or even chatrooms for help. The days of…
Learning Chinese: the Ways to Fluency
Learning Chinese has been one of the most rewarding and most humbling journeys of my life - and it‘s far from over. It took me a first few months to…
The Problem with University Chinese and Ways to Solve it
“About me: At the time of writing this piece, I have completed nearly six semesters of formal Chinese language study. The first five semesters were completed at my university in…
20 Common Chinese Slang Words
As with all languages, Chinese has an informal set of slang words which can be quite useful to know and can help one communicate better. Chinese slang usually can’t be…
Zizzle App: Learning Mandarin through Association
Introduction Learning languages generally involves four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Most apps I have used focus strongly on speaking and listening while dedicating little time to reading and…
How to Apply For A Chinese Student Visa, Tourist Visa, or Work Visa
To enter China, you will need a Visa. It’s a legal requirement to enter any foreign country. So, let’s take a look at how to get different types of Chinese…
The Most Recommended Online Chinese Courses
Because of limitations due to time, location, or a lack of teachers, more and more students are turning to online lessons. Mandarin Chinese learners are no exceptions. Today, there are…
How to Use 好（hǎo）in Five Ways
Almost everyone starts their Chinese language learning journey with the phrase “你好” (nǐhǎo), which means “hello”. It’s a useful place to start, and a great way to introduce learners to…
Serious Mandarin Chinese Learner: The Comparison Trap
“Reader be warned: at the time of writing, I’ve only completed six months of formal Chinese language instruction. I’m still a beginner, perhaps verging on intermediate, so my thoughts on…
Cracking the Wisdom of Chinese Idioms
Here are two facts about Chinese idioms: there are lots and lots of them, and for the most part they are not particularly useful. I’ve been a student of Mandarin…