Hacking Chinese Podcast

Zi. Tools is a great free resource for exploring Chinese characters. See what it offers and how you can use it to boost your learning! #learnchinese #chinesecharacters #hanzi #etymology #analysis #dictionary Link to written article on Hacking Chinese: Zi. Tools: A powerful free resource for exploring Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/zi-tools-a-powerful-free-resource-for-exploring...

Should you focus on learning many words superficially or few words well? How do you stay motivated when flashcards get boring? And how can you tell if you really know a word? #learnchinese #vocabulary #flashcards #skritter #q&a Link to written article on Hacking Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-may-2025-learning-chinese-characters-and-words-with-flashcard-apps/ Link to vocabu...

Tones in Mandarin are tricky, and students face many different kinds of problems. Identifying the type of problem is important for fixing it. #learnchinese #tones #pronunciation #challenges #speaking #listening Link to article: 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/7-kinds-tone-problems/ Learning tones in Mandarin is not optional: https://ww...

Digital dictionaries make reading Chinese easier, but they might also prevent you from learning essential strategies. Let's have a look at why using a good dictionary can be bad for your reading ability! #learnchinese #reading #dictionary #digital #strategies Link to article: Why using a good dictionary can be bad for your Chinese reading ability: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-using-a-goo...

Reading is the best way to expand vocabulary and learn about new things, but how should you approach reading in Chinese? And what are the best free reading resources out there? #learnchinese #reading #resources #free #beginner #intermediate #advanced Link: ⁠The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners⁠: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chin...

Should you read Chinese with or without Pinyin? What are the pros and cons of reading on your phone? And how do you learn to read Chinese people’s handwriting? #learnchinese #reading #yinyin #handwriting #flashcards Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Student Q&A: April, 2025: Reading with Pinyin, Chinese texts on your phone, and deciphering handwriting: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-...

Memory is a skill that can be practised, learnt, and mastered. By using the right method, remembering even abstract things like tones and pronunciation in Mandarin becomes possible, even easy! #learnchinese #mnemonics #tones #pronunciation Link to article on Hacking Chinese: How to use mnemonics to learn Mandarin tones and pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/extending-mnemonics-inspirati...

Living and travelling abroad can help you learn Chinese, but your attitude matters. To truly learn, stop being a tourist! #learnchinese #tourist #travel #expat #languagelearning Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Don't be a tourist if you want to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dont-be-a-tourist/ You won’t learn Chinese simply by living abroad: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you...

Should you cram or use spaced repetition to learn Chinese? Discover when each method works best and why spaced repetition is key to long-term success. #learnchinese #review #vocabulary #cramming #srs #flashcards Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Cramming vs. spaced repetition: When to use which method to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/cramming-vs-spaced-repetition-when-to-use-whic...

Videos are ideal for learning Chinese, because the visual element enhances comprehension and engagement. But what videos should you watch? What are the best YouTube channels? #learnchinese #youtube #video #immersion #listening Link to article on Hacking Chinese: The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese in 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/ Th...

Is learning Chinese slang worth your time? What do you do when someone with less study time speaks better than you? And how can you escape the expat bubble and start learning Mandarin? #learnchinese #q&a #speaking #slang #expat #progress Chinese speaking challenge, March 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-speaking-challenge/ Student Q&A: March, 2025: Chinese slang, leaving expat...

Board games are more than just fun, they’re a powerful way to learn Chinese, boosting vocabulary, fluency, and communication skills! #learnchinese #boardgames #game #fluency #communication Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Learning Chinese by playing board games: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-playing-board-games/ How to use computer games to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingch...

Some say that dating a native speaker is the ultimate shortcut to fluency. “You’ll learn effortlessly with a teacher always by your side!” But is learning Chinese with a partner really the silver bullet it’s often made out to be? #learnchinese #partner #boyfriend #girlfriend #wife #husband Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Love and language: Challenges and opportunities in learning Chinese with...

Most students of Chinese find listening comprehension a challenge. To truly become a fluent listener, use the Input Pyramid to rethink and upgrade your listening practice! #learnchinese #listening #input #fluent Link to article on Hacking Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/course-fluent-listener-mandarin-listening-comprehension Link to a video introduction to the course: https://youtu.be/jljU...

How do you improve listening ability as quickly as possible? Are there any strategies to deal with rapid speech? And how many times should you listen before using a transcript? #learnchinese #improvement #strategies #rapidspeech #transcripts Chinese listening challenge, February 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-listening-challenge/ The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a...

I started Hacking Chinese to help people learn Mandarin, and your feedback is essential, so please fill out my listener survey. Also, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, I'm offering a hefty discount on three of my courses. #learnchinese #cny #discount #courses #survey Hacking Chinese reader and listener survey: https://www.hackingchinese.com/hacking-chinese-reader-and-listener-survey/ Chinese New Ye...

You’d think that there are many roads to mastering Chinese, but in truth, there are only three. #learnchinese #mastery #fluency #work #social #hobby #motivation Link to article on Hacking Chinese: The three roads to mastering Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-three-roads-to-mastering-chinese/ How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/...

Another year has come to an end. Which were the most popular articles on Hacking Chinese in 2024 The most popular podcast episodes? It's time to summarise the year that was and highlight the things you really shouldn’t miss! #learnchinese #bestof #summary #articles #podcast Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Best of Hacking Chinese 2024: https://www.hackingchinese.com/best-of-hacking-chinese-2024...

What do you do if your teacher says that your text reads like English written with Chinese words? How can you get good feedback on your Chinese writing from ChatGPT? And how can you learn to write in a professional or academic setting? #learnchinese #translation #chatgpt #ai #feedback #academia #professional Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Don’t use mnemonics for everything when learning Chine...

You say something in Mandarin, a native speaker corrects you, and you adjust. The next day, another native speaker tells you to revert to your original phrasing. What's going on? #learnchinese #nativespeaker #explicit #implicit #feedback Link to article on Hacking Chinese: What native speakers know about Chinese (and what they don’t): https://www.hackingchinese.com/what-native-speakers-know-and-wh...

Mnemonics are clever memory techniques you can use to learn and remember more, but this doesn't mean that you should always use them. If you do, you will end up spending more time on mnemonics than you do engaging with the Chinese language. #learnchinese #characters #mnemonics #memory Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Don’t use mnemonics for everything when learning Chinese: https://www.hackingc...

The more Chinese you learn, the less noticeable your progress becomes. Benchmarking can make your improvements more visible and help you stay motivated! #learnchinese #benchmarking #progress #proficiency Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Benchmarking progress in Chinese to stay motivated: https://www.hackingchinese.com/benchmarking-progress/ How to learn Chinese in the long term with intrinsic m...

You step into a bookshop, exploring the Chinese section, only to find a few textbooks and a 'Learn Chinese in Your Car.' But in the English section, shelves overflow with resources for Chinese speakers. And you wonder: could these books help you learn Chinese? #learnchinese #english #esl #resources #books Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Can English learning materials help you learn Chinese? ht...

How can you remember the difference between similar Chinese characters? Are flashcards better than reading for building vocabulary? And how do you learn polyphonic characters? #learnchinese #vocabulary #characters #reading #flashcards Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Student Q&A, December 2024: Learning similar Chinese characters, polyphonic characters, and flashcards vs. reading for buildi...

Thanks to the internet, learning Chinese is now more accessible than ever, and you can do it completely for free. Just because you can doesn't mean that you should, however. If you have money to invest, here's how to do so with the greatest impact. #learnchinese #resources #paid #premium #free Link to article on Hacking Chinese: Which Chinese learning resources are worth paying for? https://www.ha...