Hacking Chinese Podcast

Why are you learning Chinese, and is your answer the same today as when you started? Let's explore what motivates us to learn Chinese and how those motivations change over time. #learnchinese #motivation #why #survey Take the survey about why you’re learning Chinese: https://forms.gle/zj7oXaaEanasS21RA How I learnt Chinese, part 1: Where it all started: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-i-lea...

Taking a Chinese course is a great way to get started, but following the syllabus alone can leave important gaps. Here’s how to avoid unnecessary detours and make your first semester count. #learnchinese #course #semester Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How to get the most out of your first semester of Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-key-to-unlocking-your-first-se...

Long-term goals are easy to set, but much harder to stick to. The forking path offers a more flexible way to make steady progress with your Chinese, one small choice at a time. #learnchinese #goals #approach Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: The forking path: A human approach to learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-forking-path-a-human-approach-to-learning-chine...

Translating everything in your head makes speaking and listening to Chinese slow and difficult. Here’s why it happens, and how to stop doing it and start thinking in Chinese instead. #learnchinese #speaking #translation #listening Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-stop-tran...

The best way to learn to understand spoken Mandarin is to listen as much as you can to engaging content that you can make sense of. But what should you listen to and how? #learnchinese #beginner #listening #comprehensibleinput Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: Beginner Chinese listening practice: What to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listeni...

ChatGPT can offer valuable feedback on Mandarin word choice and grammar, but can it help you improve your pronunciation? #learnchinese #pronunciation #chatgpt Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: No, ChatGPT can't analyse your Mandarin pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/no-chatgpt-cant-analyse-your-mandarin-pronunciation/ Full ChatGPT transcript: https://chatgpt.com...

Learning to pronounce Mandarin can be tricky, and if you misunderstand the link between spoken sounds and Pinyin spelling, it gets a lot worse. Let’s discuss nine questions about learning Chinese pronunciation. #learnchinese #pinyin #pronunciation #questions Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: 9 answers to questions about Pinyin and pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/9...

There are over 500 articles and more than 1 million words on Hacking Chinese. How are you supposed to absorb all that information and inspiration as a student? Let’s discuss how to get the most out of Hacking Chinese and the courses I've created to provide more structured guidance. Back-to-school course discount, 2026: https://www.hackingchinese.com/back-to-school-hacking-chinese-course-discou...

Dictation tests, or 听写/聽寫 (tīngxiě), are common in Chinese courses, but many students struggle with them. Here is a guide for how to nail any dictation test! #learnchinese #dictation #tingxie #test #chinesecharacters #hanzi Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How to nail dictation tests in Chinese: A guide to 听写/聽寫 (tīngxǐe): https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-nail-dic...

Flashcards can teach you to write Chinese characters, but they can be boring and hide problems. Communicative handwriting is more engaging and prepares you for real-world tasks. #learnchinese #characters #hanzi #handwriting #communication Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: Communicative handwriting: Writing Chinese with a real purpose: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-to-...

Mountains, trees and rocks are easy to use in mnemonics. But what do you do with character components whose meanings are general, abstract or overlapping? #learnchinese #mnemonics #characters #components #vocabulary Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How to create mnemonics for general, abstract or overlapping character components: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-create-mn...

Listening to a podcast about learning Chinese is not the same as learning Chinese, so why spend your limited time on the Hacking Chinese Podcast? #learnchinese #podcast #hackingchinese Link to The Hacking Chinese Podcast: https://www.hackingchinese.com/podcast/ Will Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin? https://www.hackingchinese.com/will-reading-hacking-chinese-help-you-learn-mandarin/ 30 minu...

90% of an iceberg is underwater, yet we mostly pay attention to the bit that sticks up. The same is true for proficiency in Chinese: speaking ability is easy to see, but relies on a much larger system underneath. #learnchinese #speaking #input #iceberg Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: The Chinese iceberg: Why speaking more isn’t enough to speak better: https://www.hackingchine...

I have published a book! It's called Hacking Chinese: the Snake Collection and contains articles I wrote in 2025, the Year of the Snake. The articles cover a wide variety of topics, but Chinese characters, tutors and input are the most prominent. #learnchinese #anthology #hackingchinese #snake Link to article on Hacking Chinese: New book: Hacking Chinese: The Snake Collection: https://www.hack...

Most learners know they should “listen more”, but what they listen to matters. To improve, you need to make sense of spoken Mandarin, not listen to people explain Mandarin in English. #learnchinese #listening #podcast #english #input Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: 30 minutes of podcast, 3 minutes of Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/30-minutes-of-podcast-3-minutes-of-c...

When we first start learning Chinese, each new character is hard to learn, but as we learn more, it gets easier. But a new problem soon appears: Mixing up similar characters. #learnchinese #characters #vocabulary #forgetting Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: Dealing with Chinese characters you keep mixing up: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dealing-with-chinese-characters-you-ke...

Listening is the most important skill. To improve your listening ability in Chinese, you need to listen a lot, but how much should you listen every day? #learnchinese #listening #time #practice #immersion Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How much Chinese should you listen to every day? https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-much-chinese-should-you-listen-to-every-day/ The Fluent L...

Technology can make learning Chinese easier, but only if it helps you engage more with the language. Used poorly, the same tools can get in the way of learning instead of supporting it. #learnchinese #technology #traps #ai Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How technology can make learning Chinese easier: https://www.hackingchinese.com/technology-makes-learning-chinese-easier/ H...

Technology can make learning Chinese easier, not by doing the learning for you, but by helping you spend more time on what actually matters: listening, reading and communicating in Chinese. #learnchinese #technology #ai #benefits Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How technology can make learning Chinese easier: https://www.hackingchinese.com/technology-makes-learning-chinese-ea...

Spaced repetition software is designed to delay reviews as long as possible without letting you forget. For learning Chinese, though, barely remembering something is not enough. #learnchinese #vocabulary #srs #flashcards Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: When spaced repetition fails, and what to do about it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/when-spaced-repetition-fails-and-what-t...

Mnemonics are clever memory techniques that can be used to memorise everything from decks of cards to speeches, but how do you use them to learn Chinese? #learnchinese #mnemonics #memory #vocabulary Link to article: How to make Chinese easier by using mnemonics and memory techniques: https://www.hackingchinese.com/memory-aids-and-mnemonics-to-enhance-learning/ Remembering is a skill you can learn:...

Chinese chess, or 象棋 (xiàngqí), is more than a classic strategy game. It’s a fun, practical way into Chinese language and culture. #learnchinese #xiangqi #chinesechess Link to article: Learn Chinese by playing Chinese chess (象棋, xiàngqí): https://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-chinese-by-playing-chinese-chess-xiangqi/ Learn Chinese by playing Mahjong 麻將 (májiàng): https://www.hackingchinese.co...

Podcasts let you create your own Chinese immersion experience, with level-appropriate stories and authentic conversations. Learn flexibly on the go with the best podcasts for beginners, intermediate and advanced students! #learnchinese #podcasts #listening #beginner #intermediate #advanced  Link to article: The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2026: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-pod...

Measuring your Chinese progress is a double-edged sword: it can keep you motivated, but it can also tempt you to chase numbers that don’t reflect real progress. #learnchinese #progress #motivation #measure #benchmark Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Effective progress or experience points? The double-edged sword of measuring your Chinese learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/measurable-progr...

Learning Mandarin pronunciation is not easy, so some people try to use English words to learn or teach the sounds. This is a really bad idea. #learnchinese #pronunciation #english #sounds Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Why learning Chinese pronunciation by using English words is a really bad idea: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-learning-chinese-pronunciation-by-using-english-words-is-a-re...