Category: Study
Slang is the heartbeat of everyday language and Chinese has plenty of it. Here are 45 commonly used slang words and expressions that will help you sound more native in an instant.
In this edition: Do Chinese care about learning English, why has the Chinese divorce rate gone up so much, a day in Suzhou, why it’s not useful to study grammar rules, a flat tire in Tibet, strict Chinese parenting, more Chinese learning advice, Chinese insults and a trip to Nepal.
In this first edition of 2025: Tiktok refugees, being rich in Shanghai, cycling in Tibet, “letting it rot”, discussing China’s economy, dealing with hate comments, ideological flexibility for the sake of collective wealth and Chinese stereotypes about foreign countries.
In this edition: Applying for a job in the Chinese army, the challenges of traveling in Africa, hiring Chinese street workers, surfing in Portugal, gap year in Norway and a survival guide for tiny apartments.
A key component of Chinese handwriting practice is choosing the right calligraphy paper. Discover how to find the best material to enhance your practice.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mischa Wilmers on his I’m Learning Mandarin podcast.
In this edition: Applying for a job in the Chinese army, the challenges of traveling in Africa, hiring Chinese street workers, surfing in Portugal, gap year in Norway and a survival guide for tiny apartments.
In this edition: Chinese travelers in Afghanistan and Malawi, settling down in Norway, the rising popularity of low-priced housing in China’s backward cities, why do Chinese men not want to marry any more, Chinese-American stand-up comedy and more…
In this edition: living as a black American in China, how the Chinese see the US, Chinese reactions to Trump’s assassination attempt, Chinese businessman collides with Al Jazeera show, Nord Stream bombing and more.
How to find online Chinese lessons that are truly worth your time and money? In this blog,…
This post I’ve been wanting to write for years. Now I finally did. A reflection on marathon…
In this edition: understanding parasocial interaction with Laolei and Afu, exclusive interview with famous Buddhist teacher Agya Hotogtu, discovering China’s most populous city Chongqing and insider tips on how to survive Chinese summer.
Learning Chinese, the language of over a billion people, has always been an intriguing endeavor for language enthusiasts. But for learners the landscape has changed a lot over the past 40 years. Let’s look back and reflect the differences of learning Chinese 40 years ago compared to the present-day situation. How much easier has learning Chinese become?
In this edition: declining marriage rates in China, interview with the winner of the world’s largest Chinese competition, English skills of Chinese people, 996 work culture, banning TikTok (or not) and the canceled Prime Minister’s press conference.
The new year has begun and I’m back making my Chinese vocabulary notes. In this edition: the showdown between Thomas Afu and Laolei, caving in China and the state of Chinese masculinity.
In this edition: Chinese young people don’t want to marry anymore, the little mermaid and Chinese beauty standards, cycling in good old Wuhan, relaxation in Hongkong, high housing prices in Shanghai and last but not least international (Chinese) marriage.
In this edition: Chinese girl in Rwanda, Chinese uncle helps Afghan family, what do Chinese men think about cheating, a new Chinese song called 花园种花, a Chinese idiom called 人各有志, Beijing drifters and ‘white paper protests’ in Shangha
In this edition: methods to fight insomnia, China’s First Lady giving an interview, living off-grid in China, cheating partners and Taiwanese history (and two idioms 甩锅 + 擦边球).
In this edition: Wuhan retired workers protest, new trend of middle-aged people leaving first-tier cities, Chinese spy balloon, perfectionism, pregnancy and “Red Roulette”.
In 2020 the introduction of three new HSK levels shocked the global Chinese learning community. Where HSK 6 used to be the ultimate certification of Chinese language skills, now you can aim for HSK 9. But how difficult is HSK 9 and what skills do you need to pass the exam?
In this edition: the Chinese documentary 书记 (2010), Mandarin-teaching TikToks, taking the HSK 9 exam, 2023 life goals and ChatGPT.
Thinking of booking Chinese lessons, but not sure how much you’re willing to spend or how many lessons your money can buy? This is how many Chinese lessons 250 $ can get you.
The final edition from 2022: the death of Jiang Zemin, job hunting in Taiwan and the white paper revolution in China. Happy new year to all serious Chinese learners! Keep studying, keep growing!
In this month’s edition: returning to China (回国), emigrating from China, German chancellor visits China, energy crisis, compliments, growing up in China, Chinese economy and finally China’s one child policy.
The bad news: China won’t stop its zero-Covid policy anytime soon (or will it?). The good news: you don’t have to go to China to learn Chinese.
In this month’s edition: Chinese health expert explains China zero-covid policy, Xi’ great power diplomacy, China’s demographic trap and the Chinese immigrant experience in Germany.
From all the people learning Chinese and reaching a relatively high level of proficiency only a few ever seem to truly master the Chinese tones. By that I mean they speak fully fluent and sound so “native” that it would fool native Chinese speakers. Why is that? Are Chinese tones just too damn hard or is it laziness on our part?
In this month’s edition: Chinese public opinion on Mao Zedong & Kim Jong-Un, successful Chinese immersion in Britain, sex education in China, parenting – yes or no, Chinese phonetics master class, lockdown in Chengdu and cycling in Changsha.
In this month’s edition: Chinese idols, what Chinese think about the Taiwanese question, parenting made in China and last but not least, Afu got COVID and how it impacts the Chinese-speaking YouTube community…
Does online Chinese class truly beat a face-to-face Chinese course or is it the other way round? Which type of course does suit your personal situation and learning needs best? Here’s my personal look at the pros and cons of on- and offline Chinese courses.