Watch with purpose

The most important advice: Watch with focus. Don’t turn on the TV only to start texting or TikTokking. If the TV show becomes background noise, you won’t learn. Sit down and watch with as few distractions as possible. It’s far better to actively watch for fifteen minutes than passively for an hour. This is made much easier if you…

Find a show you enjoy watching

If you enjoy a show, you’ll learn much more as your attention won’t wander as easily. Whether you like reality shows, historical dramas, or crime thrillers, there are plenty of shows for you to try. Here’s a list of Chinese TV shows you might enjoy. Don’t force yourself to watch something you find boring. You might still learn, but over time you will come to resent watching and look for other things to do instead.

Take notes and imitate

When you come across a word, phrase, or sentence that you find useful or interesting, pause the show, repeat it out loud, and try to imitate the pronunciation and intonation. This is where passive learning becomes active learning. Take the time to focus and listen to tricky sentences several times. You might take an hour to watch a twenty minute show, but it will be a quality hour of learning. Additionally,  jot down any new vocabulary or phrases. Review them later and incorporate them into your language learning routine, such as through flashcards (Anki is my favourite) or dedicated practice sessions. 

Start with subtitles

Begin by watching the TV show with subtitles in your native language. This will help you understand the storyline and context. Once context is established and as you become more comfortable, switch the subtitles to Chinese. This should be easy as almost all Chinese TV shows are subtitled to allow people from all regions of China to understand speakers who might talk with an unfamiliar Chinese accent or dialect. 

Repeat episodes

Revisit episodes you’ve already watched to reinforce what you’ve learned. Repetition is crucial for language learning, and by rewatching episodes, you’ll notice improvements in comprehension and pick up on details you missed previously. If you enjoyed a series or even a particular epsiode, note it down and watch it again after a few months. If you’ve been watching other shows and actively learning inbetween viewings, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can understand on the second watching.

Do not solely rely on TV

Remember that while TV shows can be a valuable tool, they should be combined with other language learning activities to develop a well-rounded skill set. Regular practice, consistency, and exposure to the language in various contexts will be much more beneficial than only watching TV. Don’t neglect other forms of media either such as podcasts, music or books. 

Thanks for reading!

By following the tips and techniques above, you can make the most of your TV viewing time and transform it into a powerful language learning opportunity. As each episode goes by, you’ll notice your Chinese language skills improving, bringing you one step closer to your goal of fluency. We wish you happy studying!

The post How to catapult your fluency by watching Chinese TV appeared first on HSKReading.com.

At this point, you might be considering whether you can disregard tones altogether. Realistically, if you are visiting China for a short period, and only need to acquire basic survival Chinese, this assumption is mostly correct. Those who simply wish to get by in China can manage with learning some essential phrases, as Chinese individuals will grasp the intended meaning based on the context in which the words are spoken.

However, if you are genuinely committed to learning Chinese beyond the bare minimum, it is crucial to understand that learning tones is mandatory. To a Chinese person’s ears, the tonal distinctions are as significant as the differences between English words like “dog” (狗) and “enough” (够).

In summary, if you wish to avoid using the wrong words and constantly leaving others to guess your intended message, mastering tones must be a top priority in your Chinese language learning journey.

The post How important is learning tones for speaking Chinese? appeared first on HSKReading.com.

It is good to practice these sounds with a native speaker.

The Chinese “r”

This is a sound that native English speakers often struggle with as most English speakers are used to forming their Rs with a relatively flat tongue.

Form this sound by raising your tongue to the roof of your mouth, similar to “ch” “sh” and “zh” sounds. This will almost instantly give you the correct type of R sound. You can alter your tongue position and ask people how it sounds in order to narrow down the exact placement.

The difference between “zh” and “j”

The “zh” is the same as the English “j” except your tongue is a little bit further back.

The Chinese “j” sound is made by saying the English “j” with your tongue kept firmly behind your front lower teeth.

The difference between “t” and “c”

This one causes Chinese people to laugh when someone asks for vinegar “醋“ and instead says ”吐“ which means to throw up. Avoid this situation by pronouncing “t” exactly as you would in English while pronouncing “c” as “ts” from the word “mats”.

Pronouncing “u” and “ü”

The “u” sound is almost identical to the English “oo” sound.

The “ü” sound is made by saying the English “ee” with rounded lips. If you round your lips and tense your tongue you will notice that you are no longer saying “ee” but the chinese “ü” sound!

1. Say “ee” – notice that your mouth opens wide to do this.
2. Keep your tongue behind your front lower teeth.
3. Round your lips – This changes the “ee” sound to “ü”.

It’samazing how a small change in lip/tongues placement can produce such a large difference in the sounds we make.

The post Pronunciation Problems: Tongue placement for tricky sounds appeared first on HSKReading.com.

Chinese Reading Practice

This site hasn’t been updated for several years. The Chinese is beautifully translated into English allowing for easy comprehension.

My chinese reading

Random Chinese articles with some good grammar explanations and translations. Take a look.

HSKReading

My own website has to be included. See some samples on the homepage before diving in.

Zuowen

For Chinese students to submit their essays and receive feedback etc. Not a nice website to navigate, I recommend using Adblock! On the plus side, there is a lot of content.

BBC News – in Chinese!

Read the news in Chinese. Lots of big news agencies broadcast in different languages. This is just the one I am most familiar with.

The post Where to find Chinese reading material appeared first on HSKReading.com.

Captionpop – All skill levels

Captionpop finds Chinese Youtube videos and captions them in English. Similar to FluentU but free – neat!

ChinesePod – All skill levels

I think ChinesePod is one of the only resources worth paying for. Huge amounts of content and the dialogue is very authentic.

BearTalk Podcast – Advanced

Chinese name: 狗熊有话说. This podcast has interesting guests and topics. Bear seems like a really nice guy and his podcast is becoming very popular. Episode list here.

CCTV News – Advanced

Chinese news channel. Challenging even for advanced students. There is a continuous livestream on Youtube. It plays Chinese dramas when the news isn’t live.

Just Learn Chinese – Intermediate +

This is one ugly website. It’s redeemed by the quality of the “mini-novels” that you can listen to. I find the elementary stories to be a little harder than elementary.

Youku 优酷 – Advanced

This is the Chinese equivalent of Youtube. Start browsing here .

Popup Chinese – All skill levels

These guys are hilarious. They have interesting dialogues and are really personable. Mostly free (you need to sign up) but premium subscriptions are available. Check them out here.

Little Fox Chinese – For young learners

Stories and songs aimed at children. Really high-quality production. Youtube Channel.

This list will be updated as I check out more listening resources. If you want more content then take a look at my list of favourite Chinese TV shows to learn (and be entertained) from.

The post Resources for Chinese listening appeared first on HSKReading.com.

爸爸去哪儿 (Where are we going, Dad?) – This show has lots of dialogue with children so the speaking is often slower, making it ideal for beginners. Watching the interactions between children and their parents is always entertaining.

舌尖上的中国 (Bite of China) – Some people like cooking shows, others don’t. If you are a fan of delicious food then this show is for you. It showcases food from around China and has a clear-sounding narrator.

咱们结婚吧 (We get Married) – A love story based around the idea of “leftover women” who are considered too old for marriage. The show proves it wrong! It is quite easy to understand because there is a lot of context provided.

中国好声音 (The Voice of China) – A popular singing competition showcasing talented vocalists. The show provides exposure to different singing styles, emotional performances, and interviews with contestants. As it follows a similar format to almost every other talent show, you will understand a lot of the language used because the context is so familiar.

我们的挑战 (Our Challenge) – A reality show where celebrities take on various physical and mental challenges. It offers a mix of entertaining content and conversations that cover a range of topics.

爱情公寓 (iPartment) – A sitcom that revolves around a group of friends living in the same apartment complex. The show offers humorous situations and everyday conversations, allowing learners to pick up slang and casual language. Really popular show considered to be China’s version of Friends.

暗黑者 (Death Notify) – A personal favourite – fast-paced, funny, and sometimes quite creepy detective show. Starts off difficult to understand but after a few episodes you will find that they often repeat the same vocabulary again and again. 

奇葩说 (Quirky Chinese) – This talk show features debates and discussions on various topics, allowing learners to practice listening to different perspectives and opinions. The conversations can be tricky to follow and some of the speakers both talk quickly and mix in a lot of humour which can be hard to understand without pausing and listening several times.

快乐大本营 (Happy Camp) – Mainly for advanced learners as this topical show can be quite fast-paced. Funny games and conversation.

三国演义 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) – A historical drama based on the classic Chinese novel. While the language used can be more formal, it offers an opportunity to learn about Chinese history (The story is described as 70% history 30% fiction) and immerse yourself in a captivating story. Great for advanced learners who enjoy binge watching long series.

人民的名义 (In the Name of the People) – A political drama focusing upon an anti-corruption police officer. For advanced learners and even then, some of it is very fast.

If you are struggling to find a place to watch Chinese tv, there is a fantastic Chinese video platform called iQiyi (Chinese name: 爱奇艺). It has a lot of movies and tv series available for you to stream. Youku (Chinese equivalent of Youtube) is another option. Youtube has a lot of shows although the sound and picture quality is usually lower.

Thanks for reading

Be warned: simply having a TV show on in the background is not enough when it comes to actively learning Chinese (although if you are watching solely for entertainment, go for it). We have a post on how to get maximal benefits for your Mandarin fluency from watching TV. Give it a read and follow the advice. You will be amazed at how fast you progress!

The post Chinese TV shows for learning AND entertainment appeared first on HSKReading.com.

Chinese in the UN

Chinese is one of the six official languages used for communications within the United Nations. The others being Spanish, Russian, English Arabic and French.

Standard Mandarin

Today, the most common form of Chinese is known as Standard Mandarin (普通话), It is based on a dialect spoken in Beijing. The Chinese government realized the need for a unified language and enforced the teaching of standard Mandarin in schools. In 1956 it was officially defined as the standard form of modern Chinese. 

Different dialects

Most cities in China have their own dialect. Some dialects sound so different from standard Chinese as to be unintelligible to people who don’t live there. This is why TV in China is subtitled: to allow country-wide comprehension.

Traditional writing in Taiwan

While the Taiwanese do speak standard mandarin, they write in traditional form. The difference between simplified and traditional writing is quite significant. For example 会 is written as 會.

Logograms and phonograms

Chinese characters are called logograms. A logogram is a written character that represents a word or a phrase. English letters represent sounds and are called phonograms.

Changes in the way Chinese is read

Chinese used to be written vertically in columns going from right to left. In 1955 national newspapers and textbooks changed to writing left to right and top to bottom. A famous Chinese scholar called 叶籁士 was at the forefront of these changes as he believed it to be a quicker way of reading. 

What an amazing language!

Thanks for reading!

The post Facts about Mandarin Chinese appeared first on HSKReading.com.

Breaking down characters

Lots of Chinese characters have phonetic components which give a clue as to how to pronounce the word.

For example: 吗 has the component 马 which gives a hint as to how it is pronounced.

All Chinese characters also contain a radical which is mainly used for classification purposes and sometimes giving a hint as to the meaning of a character. Radicals are usually positioned to the left or underneath a character.

When a Chinese person has forgotten how to write a character, someone can explain it to them by telling them the different components of the character. This will usually jog the memory of the writer and allow them to continue. Here are some examples:

Example 1

记 is composed of a 讠radical called a 言字旁 and a 己 component called a 绞丝旁. To describe this character a person might say 记是由一个言字旁和一个己组成. In English this might be: “Ji is composed of a 言字旁 and a 绞丝旁.”. 

Example 2

法 is composed of a 氵radical (Called a 三点水) and a 去 and a Chinese person might say 法是由一个三点水和一个去组成.

Example 3

A final example is the character 河 meaning river. 河 is composed of the 氵radical again except this time it is next to a 可. As you might have guessed, a Chinese person would describe this as 河是由一个三点水和一个可组成.

Common radicals

It is a good idea to be able to recognize some radicals (there are 214 in total), especially the most common ones. They help differentiate between similar characters. Here are ten radicals that you can find in a lot of different Chinese characters:

The post What happens if a Chinese person forgets a character? appeared first on HSKReading.com.

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This post is not going to go through basic language learning tips, this is more focused on passing HSK 1 and laying a foundation of Chinese to be built upon.

Should I take the HSK 1?

If you want to learn Chinese to a high level, you will save money by ignoring the HSK 1 and going straight for HSK 3. This is attainable within 6 months to a year of commited study. HSK 3 is where the tests start to ramp up in difficulty and all the Pinyin is removed.

If you want a qualification to add to your C.V, taking the HSK 1 might be all you want/need.

How long does it take to pass the HSK 1?

HSK 1 is the entry level test and can be passed after a month of serious study with a tutor.

What does the HSK1 consist of?

The HSK 1 is relatively straightforward. Most of it involves recognising phrases or picking out the key word from a short sentence.

The HSK 1 has a listening section and a reading section. The listening section involves answering true/false questions, choosing the picture that most fits the dialogue, or listening to a statement followed by a multiple choice questions.

The reading section involves choosing correct pictures after reading a related sentence, linking phrases with pictures and filling in a blank space in a sentence.

Both of these sections give a maximum of 100 points for 200 in total. A pass requires 120 points or more.

How should I study for the HSK 1?

There is a holy trinity of resources that will ensure a smooth HSK test: Anki, a good Chinese teacher and hskreading.com. Between them, they cover all aspects of learning Chinese.

Anki

First, you should download the flashcard system called Anki and use the HSK 1 flashcards. There are 174 characters that you need to remember; Anki is by far the best way to do this. It is free software and if you use it for 20 minutes per day, you can expect to have learnt the 174 characters in just several weeks.

Chinese teacher

At the same time as this, you need to learn the Chinese system of Pinyin. This is a romanised form of Chinese. The best way to learn this is to find a Chinese teacher. If you care about speaking Chinese in the future, this is the best time to drill pronunciation (here is a handy pinyin chart that you can reference).

From doing this, your listening will start to develop. Ask your teacher to focus upon the HSK 1 vocabulary. After just a month or two you will recognise a lot of set phrases and Chinese words. Listening is very hard at first, it is normal to stumble for a while before your brain starts to adjust to it.

Reading

Once you have a grip on Pinyin and can recognise basic characters, start reading the HSK 1 articles on our very own hskreading.com. Once you can read the Chinese found in the HSK 1 section, you will be capable of passing the HSK 1.

Bring it all together

There are HSK 1 mock exams available online. Once you feel that you have achieved the above steps, take a mock test and make sure you time yourself. You will find that taking a test under a time constraint will add significant pressure. Use a stopwatch to get used to this feeling.

Once you can pass the mock tests with a score of 170+ (It is important to get a decent score, this is laying the foundation for your future Chinese studies) then you are ready for the real thing. Good luck!

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