Podcast Episodes

256 - 8 reasons to learn to write Chinese characters by hand

Season 1 Episode 256

Does handwriting still have a place in modern Chinese learning? Let's explore 8 popular arguments in favour of writing characters by hand, each critically examined to see which ones truly stand up to…

Published on 21 hours ago

255 - 7 characteristics of a great Chinese tutor or private teacher

Season 1 Episode 255

A great tutor can transform your Chinese learning, but how do you know if a tutor is good? Let's explore the key qualities that make a tutor truly effective!

#learnchinese #tutor #teacher

Link to artic…

Published on 1 week ago

254 - How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions

Season 1 Episode 254

Having a tutor can be great for learning Chinese, but how much progress you make depends as much on you as on the tutor. Come prepared, stay engaged, and make the most of each session!

#learnchinese #…

Published on 2 weeks ago

253 - 8 myths about learning Chinese that are holding you back

Season 1 Episode 253

Believing the wrong things about learning Chinese can waste time and lead you astray. Let's explore eight myths that might be holding you back!

#learnchinese #myths #hanzi #pronunciation #study

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Published on 3 weeks ago

252 - Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 7: How to navigate different types of listening in Mandarin

Season 1 Episode 252

Listening is essential when learning Mandarin, but not all listening situations are the same. By recognising different types of listening, you can improve your chances of successfully navigating spok…

Published on 4 weeks ago

251 - Student Q&A: June, 2025: Beginner listening, group conversations, and Chinese news

Season 1 Episode 251

How do you get started with listening in Mandarin? What makes group conversations so challenging? And is it true that news broadcasts in Chinese are        harder than in other languages?

#learnchines…

Published on 1 month ago

250 - Will Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin?

Season 1 Episode 250

Is learning how to learn worth your time, or should you just engage directly with Chinese instead? The answer depends, but the longer your perspective, the more important it becomes to tweak your met…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

249 - Zi.Tools: A powerful free resource for exploring Chinese characters

Season 1 Episode 246

Zi.Tools is a great free resource for exploring Chinese characters. See what it offers and how you can use it to boost your learning!

#learnchinese #chinesecharacters #hanzi #etymology #analysis #dict…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

248 - Student Q&A: May, 2025: Learning Chinese characters and words with flashcard apps

Season 1 Episode 248

Should you focus on learning many words superficially or few words well? How do you stay motivated when flashcards get boring? And how can you tell if you really know a word?

#learnchinese #vocabulary…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

247 - 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them

Season 1 Episode 247

Tones in Mandarin are tricky, and students face many different kinds of problems. Identifying the type of problem is important for fixing it.

#learnchinese #tones #pronunciation #challenges #speaking …

Published on 2 months ago