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273 - What a big Rubik’s Cube taught me about Chinese characters
Season 1 Episode 273
How small can Chinese characters be while still being legible? How much information do they contain per unit area? And what can a big Rubik’s cube te…
9 months, 1 week ago
272 - Learning (or not learning) Chinese slang
Season 1 Episode 272
Slang and swearing often top the list of what people want to learn in a foreign language. But is this curiosity actually helpful for learners, or jus…
9 months, 2 weeks ago
271 - 7 ways to learn to write Chinese characters
Season 1 Episode 271
Learning to write characters is an integral part of learning Chinese, but how do you practise writing them? Do you type? Write on paper? Or… on the c…
9 months, 3 weeks ago
270 - How to not teach Chinese characters to beginners: A 12-step approach
Season 1 Episode 270
I started learning Chinese well over a decade ago, and I have encountered many great teachers. But I have also seen truly terrible teaching, especial…
10 months ago
269 - Same building blocks, different characters: How component placement changes meaning in Chinese
Season 1 Episode 269
Chinese character components are usually placed in predictable ways, so if you remember the components, you can often write the character. But not al…
10 months, 1 week ago
268 - 16 myths about learning Chinese that are holding you back
Season 1 Episode 268
Believing the wrong things about learning Chinese can waste time and lead you astray. Let's explore 8 more myths that might be holding you back!
#lear…
10 months, 2 weeks ago
267 - How to improve your Mandarin speaking skills with a tutor
Season 1 Episode 267
Most Chinese learners want one thing above all: to speak better. Many turn to a teacher for guidance, but that is only the first step. True progress …
10 months, 3 weeks ago
266 - What important words are missing from HSK?
Season 1 Episode 266
HSK is the most widely used proficiency test for Chinese, and many learners aim to master the vocabulary at each level. Yet some of the most importan…
10 months, 4 weeks ago
265 - 5 common challenges in Mandarin listening comprehension and how to overcome them
Season 1 Episode 265
Can you ask questions in Mandarin but struggle to understand the answers? Do you feel that you know the words, but people just speak too fast? And wh…
11 months, 1 week ago
264 - Learning Chinese through comprehensible input
Season 1 Episode 264
Can you really learn Mandarin through listening and reading alone? What is comprehensible input, and how do you get enough of it?And how do speaking,…
11 months, 2 weeks ago