Ninchanese and Yocha offer two different but complementary ways to strengthen your Chinese. Ninchanese uses gamified lessons and review to build vocabulary…
Ninchanese and Yocha offer two different but complementary ways to strengthen your Chinese. Ninchanese uses gamified lessons and review to build vocabulary…
Discover useful Chinese learning resources for improving pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and speaking, including CLI tools, HSK 3.0 resources, Pleco, Yocha,…
Chinese assessment is about more than test scores. This guide explains how feedback, HSK preparation, placement, self-assessment, and real-world practice can help…
Spaced repetition can help Chinese learners remember vocabulary, characters, tones, pinyin, and grammar more efficiently. This guide explains how SRS works, how…
Choosing between Mainland China and Taiwan for learning Chinese comes down to practical fit. This guide compares characters, cost, visas, immersion, program…
Many Chinese programs claim "immersion," but the experience varies widely. This guide breaks down what real immersion looks like, why being in…
Most "best city to learn Chinese" guides focus on nightlife and food. This one compares six cities on the factors that actually…
Business Chinese is more than workplace vocabulary. This guide covers the key phrases and etiquette for real professional situations, so beginners can…
Looking for a realistic Chinese study plan? This beginner-friendly guide explains what to learn first, how to structure your weekly study time,…
How long does it really take to learn Chinese? This beginner-friendly guide explains realistic timelines for speaking, HSK progress, and long-term fluency,…
Should you learn Chinese through private lessons or a group class? For beginners, the answer usually comes down to speaking time, pronunciation…
Think you're too old to learn Chinese? The largest study on age and language learning — 670,000 participants — tells a very…
The 2 Sigma Problem shows one-on-one tutoring can outperform classrooms. See how immersion plus personalized instruction speeds up Mandarin fluency.
Curious to learn more about the eighth year in the Chinese zodiac calendar: the Year of the Goat? Read on to learn…
Curious to learn more about the eighth year in the Chinese zodiac calendar: the Year of the Goat? Read on to learn…
Curious to learn more about the eighth year in the Chinese zodiac calendar: the Year of the Goat? Read on to learn…
Curious to learn more about the eighth year in the Chinese zodiac calendar: the Year of the Goat? Read on to learn…
You’ve heard of pinyin, but have you heard of its Taiwanese cousin, Bopomofo? Discover all there is to know about this alternative…
Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers on Earth, while English leads in total speakers. Discover the world's top 10 most spoken…
Mandarin is a language that is growing globally. It’s already one of the world’s most spoken languages, with more than 1.14 billion…
Luckily for Chinese language learners worldwide, location is no longer an obstacle to gaining useful language practice. No matter where you are,…
Flashcards are one of the best study tools for language students and there are many different options available. As you spend more…
Learning to say “yes” is usually one of the first things you learn when studying a new language. Unfortunately, you might be…
Everybody loves birthdays, and China is no exception. So how do you say “happy birthday” in Chinese and how are birthdays celebrated…
As a student of Chinese, measure words (量词 or liàngcí in pīnyīn) are one of the first aspects of Chinese grammar you’ll…
Chinese Internet slang changes fast, but learning common terms like yyds, xswl, 内卷, 躺平, and 破防了 can help you understand Mandarin social…
Eating meat-free in China is easier than you think. Learn how to say "I am vegetarian" in Chinese, which dishes to order,…
Wondering whether to learn Mandarin or Cantonese? Compare their tones, romanization systems, writing, and number of speakers — and find out which…
What is feng shui? In this article, we are going to learn about the principles of feng shui, its history and its…
The weather has the power to impact almost every aspect of daily life and shared experiences with various meteorological events are common…
China is one of the most family-centric societies on earth. This belief in the importance of family is clearly reflected in the…
Putonghua (普通话), or Standard Mandarin, is mainland China's official language. Discover how it evolved from Ming and Qing court dialects into the…
You may have heard that Chinese is a tonal language, but did you know that in addition to the basic tones, there…
China is home to around 300 living languages. Explore the 10 main varieties of Chinese, the dialect-vs-language debate, and China's many minority…
Whether you’re just getting started on your Chinese learning journey or have been an avid student of the language for years, one…
Using podcasts is an incredibly versatile way to improve your Chinese level. Not only will you improve your listening skills, but you…
Curious about how China's money actually works? Read on to discover why the currency is called renminbi but priced in yuan, why…
When traveling about in China, you’ll need to introduce yourself to those you meet along the way. The vast differences between Chinese…
If you’re new to Mandarin (Putonghua), chances are you want to learn some basic Chinese words and phrases. After “hello” and “my…
Proverbs are an integral part of the Chinese language. Passed down through the ages, these concise sayings often aim to impart inherited…
Using music to learn Chinese is one of the best and most fun ways to improve your listening and reading skills. It…
Learn Chinese in Beautiful Guilin, China Flexible Scheduling, Affordable Pricing ✈️ ⛩️ Enroll in our Chinese language school in Guilin, China and…
Good news: the notion that Chinese is the world's most difficult language is woefully misguided. In fact, in so many ways, Chinese…
How many countries and territories can you currently name in Chinese? It's our goal to increase this figure! To this end, we've…
Proverbs and idioms reflect cultural belief systems. As a result, Chinese proverbs and idioms about family are a great way to gain…
Key Takeaways For most English-speaking beginners, "learning Chinese" usually means learning Standard Mandarin. Tones, pinyin, and pronunciation matter early because they shape…
Chinese idioms, or chengyu (成语), pack entire stories into four characters. Discover 28 of the most common Chinese idioms with pinyin, English…
The impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is now being felt around the world. The pandemic has taken over the news cycle,…
Key Takeaways Over 1 billion people speak Chinese natively. Learning it connects you to the world's largest language community and to Chinese-speaking…
One of the first things students learn when studying Chinese is how to greet people. Invariably, they're taught that to say "hi"…
Picking the right Chinese textbook is an important part of any language learner’s journey. With so many Chinese textbooks to choose from,…
If you are starting to learn Chinese, pinyin is one of the first tools you should understand. It shows you how Mandarin…
Planning a trip to China and looking for useful Chinese travel phrases? This article provides 10 useful phrases for your upcoming journey…
The FSI says Chinese takes 2,200 hours — but that number describes diplomats studying full-time, not your situation. Here's what the research…
Who doesn't like talking to a great listener? It's a pleasure to speak with someone who pays attention to every word and…
Chinese tongue twisters (绕口令, ràokǒulìng) are one of the most fun ways to sharpen your Mandarin pronunciation. Watch CLI's Zicong 老师 challenge…
Planning a trip to China or learning Mandarin? Start with these basic Chinese words and phrases for beginners — greetings, family terms,…
Jessica Beinecke, better known as Bái Jié (白洁) by her viewers, is an American educator, videographer, and internet personality best known for…
At the Chinese Language Institute we understand and hold a deep respect for the process of gaining fluency in Mandarin. Learning Chinese…
YouTube is one of the best free resources for improving your Mandarin listening and speaking skills, offering authentic native-speaker content at every…
CLI has churned through hundreds of videos by ChineseClass101.com to compile this list of 25 videos covering must-know Mandarin vocabulary. We've extracted…
Learn Chinese Now has been posting excellent Mandarin language learning videos to YouTube for over three years. We've compiled our 10 favorite…
We've gathered 5 TEDx Talks that cover a variety of techniques you can apply to your own language learning journey. Browse through…
"I have seldom been taught the most important thing of all: how to learn a language." - Olle Linge Not "What to…
“Five,” she yells as her right hand opens, left hand closes, and I close both of mine. Ugh, she wins again. “No…
To start this week’s post, let’s engage for a moment in a thought experiment. First, imagine losing all ability to communicate with…
Remember those endless hours you spent agonizing over Spanish or French grammar in high school? Or all those late nights studying Chinese…