Podcast Episodes

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 talk about Chinese characters.

Let's explore how!

#lea…

Published on 6 days, 1 hour 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 trip.

#learnchinese #immersion #travel #abroad #hom…

Published on 1 week, 5 days 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 teach us about Chinese characters?

#learnchinese #han…

Published on 2 weeks, 5 days 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 just a fun distraction?

#learnchinese #slang #vocabula…

Published on 3 weeks, 6 days 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 canvas of your mind?

#learnchinese #chinesecharacter…

Published on 1 month 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, especially when it comes to Chinese characters.

#learnchine…

Published on 1 month, 1 week 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 always. Some characters share components but differ …

Published on 1 month, 2 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!

#learnchinese #myths #hanzi #input #study

Link to the ar…

Published on 1 month, 3 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 depends on how you work with that teacher.

#learnch…

Published on 2 months 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 important words are missing from the HSK.

#learnchinese #hs…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago