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Mandarin

Read all of Speechling's language learning tips and articles on the Chinese language. Improve your pronunciation with Speechling.

Mandarin

Top 10 Best Movies to Learn Chinese

Want to learn Chinese? Learn Mandarin through Chinese movies - action films, martial arts movies, rom coms, animated cartoons or the best fantasy movies!

Mandarin

7 Ways to Learn Chinese and Find Love

Single Chinese language learner looking for love? Matchmakers, good chat-up lines and online dating sites, find love and romance whilst learning Mandarin!

Language Learning

3 Benefits of Thinking in Your Native Language

Raise your hand if you have been told this in the past: "If you want to learn a new language, you have to stop thinking in your native language!" or "Stop thinking in your mother tongue, that's why you are struggling!". Well, things might not actually

Mandarin

China Travel: 10 Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Learn Chinese

Love 'em or hate 'em, trials and tribulations are all part of the Chinese language learning journey. From greetings and Chinese names to Chinese food menus and check-in desks, here are 10 ways to use your Mandarin skills during your China travels!

Mandarin

The Mandarin Learner’s Guide to Haggling: 10 Keys to Success

The best ways to save money as a Mandarin learner and haggler? Feign disinterest, be polite and use good Chinese bartering words - the key to success!

Mandarin

How to Speak Chinese With Your Body: A Guide to Chinese Body Language

You may have heard that language is 90% non-verbal, but you might be surprised to hear that Chinese non-verbal cues are different than those in your own country. Here's what you need to know to make sure that your body language matches what you’re trying to say.

Language Learning

5 Problems Only Language Learners Will Understand - and How to Fix Them

Sometimes you could swear your brain is your worst enemy. You keep forgetting words, getting stuck when you try explaining yourself, or failing to understand native speakers after studying for months. The good news? There are several things you can do about it. Hop in! 5. I Can't Memorize New

Mandarin

5 Conversation Topics for Chinese Beginners

After learning some Chinese vocabulary and expressions, what should you talk about when you want to start practicing your Chinese with native speakers? Finding out what the Chinese like to gossip about can help you break the ice and start making friends! Try the five conversation topics we recommend for

Language Learning

Learning a Foreign Language? 10 Steps Guaranteed to Step Up Your Game

Learning a foreign language could be the challenge of your life. It requires focus, consistency, discipline, courage to put yourself out there and expose yourself to the target language. But what happens when you seem to have hit a plateau? What do you do when new words just seem to

Mandarin

5 Interesting Online Games to Improve Your Chinese Pinyin

Why Is Pinyin Important for Learning Chinese? Pinyin ( 拼音, pīnyīn) is the foundation of learning Chinese if you are not a native Chinese speaker. Pinyin helps you pronounce the Chinese words accurately and fluently because with the pinyin knowledge, you speak with higher precision when you know the difference among

Mandarin

How to Say Jia You, Lao Wai, and 4 Other Strange Chinese Translations

When it comes to Chinese, strange translations are not unique. But behind those funny translations lies a language which fundamentally works differently. Each character comes imbued with meaning, and that means that longer ‘words’ which combine characters, can actually be seen in different ways.

Mandarin

How to Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes Every Day

“It’s impossible!”, I hear you say. ​ Well, no, it’s not. It’s hard, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it! Here's how to learn Chinese in 5 minutes by taking part in some simple exercises every day.

Mandarin

Happy New Year in Chinese: Language, Culture, and Celebration 2021

A beginner’s guide to truly understanding Chinese New Year, from what your Zodiac really means to the gifts which are given, and how to say Happy New Year in Chinese.

Mandarin

The Best Chinese Slang to Come Out of 2017

From the awkward to the wealthy, here’s the top Mandarin Slang 2017 gave us, along with a couple of tips on how and when to use them.

Mandarin

Things You’ve Probably Been Taught in Mandarin Which You Shouldn’t Listen To

Some basic techniques for making your Mandarin sound a little more natural, including how to say hello like a local, saying goodbye, and finding out about a person's day.

Mandarin

The Best YouTube Channels for Improving your Chinese Listening Comprehension

5 great YouTube Channels for working on your Chinese listening comprehension, whilst having a lot of fun.

Mandarin

Adding Mandarin Modal Particles Like a Local: When, Where, and Why?

What is a Chinese grammar particle? A Chinese grammar particle is a part of a sentence which is used to express meaning without the use of tone. Now you’re probably thinking that this is pretty much true of most words, and you would be right. However, due to the

Mandarin

Is Top Down or Bottom Up Processing Best When Learning Chinese?

You might have heard of top down or bottom up language learning techniques. If not, don’t worry, by the time you finish this article you’ll know what they are and the advantages and disadvantages of using them. You’ll also know in what ways to use them to

Mandarin

The Best Speech Techniques to Avoid Sounding Like a Foreigner in Chinese

Chinglish. We've all heard it. It's that cross between Chinese and English which just doesn't sound quite right but still tries to be English. Well, it works the other way around as well: it's called Englese. Englese is where Chinese learners will speak in Chinese, but they incorporate elements of

Mandarin

Best Oral Techniques for Showing Politeness in China (Depending on Who You’re Around)

If you don’t already know about the Chinese concept of Face, it’s probably about time you read up on it. In essence, Face relates to dignity and prestige. To lose Face is to look bad in front of others. In Chinese Society, it is vitally important what one

Mandarin

The Best Chinese Novels for Catching Culture

In an age of technology and video, it can sometimes feel as though novels no longer have a reason to exist. Movies are faster, easier to digest, and (for some) a lot more fun. But novels are still important. For every movie out there, there are at least 10 books,

Chinese

A Guide to Chinese Idioms and Chengyu, Not Just a List

Chinese idioms are called chengyu. If you’re learning Chinese, you have probably come across them before. Long lists of them, put together by other learners, or possibly teachers. But if you see one outside of a guide, how do you know something is a Chengyu? How do you know

Mandarin

How to Create a Chinese Language Environment - Even If You’re Not in China

You don’t have to join a Chinese immersion program in China to immerse yourself in the Chinese language. In fact, you don’t even have to join a Chinese immersion program in the US. It’s more than possible to immerse yourself in Chinese from the comfort of your

Mandarin

The Best Chinese TV Shows for Learners Who Want to Understand China

Learning a language isn't all about picking up vocabulary and being able to construct grammatically correct sentences. There's a whole other side to language which is too often forgotten. That side is culture. TV shows and movies can be two of the best means by which to access that culture,

Mandarin

The Best Chinese Words to Practice as a Beginner: The Definitive List Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the Best Chinese Words to Practice as a Beginner: The Definitive List. Whilst previously we covered initial sounds, now we're going to make a start on finals. If you missed The Definitive List: Part 1, be sure to take a look and add those words