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275 - How to talk about Chinese characters in Chinese
Season 1 Episode 275
How do native speakers talk about Chinese characters?
The writing system is not phonetic, so you can't spell out words, but it is still possible to ta…
9 months, 1 week ago
274 - Why not going to China now could actually be good for your Chinese
Season 1 Episode 274
Going abroad to learn Chinese in an immersion environment can be great, but unless you plan to stay for years, you might be better off delaying your …
9 months, 2 weeks ago
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, 3 weeks 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…
10 months 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…
10 months, 1 week 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, 2 weeks 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, 3 weeks 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…
11 months 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 …
11 months, 1 week 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…
11 months, 2 weeks ago