Tag: Chinese dream

What has running a marathon to do with learning Chinese?

This post I’ve been wanting to write for years. Now I finally did. A reflection on marathon…

10 great movies about rural China

Rural China is the raw reality most Chinese people come from. Here are 10 film recommendations about the Chinese countryside, including some real classics.

What type of Chinese learner are you?

What type of Chinese learner are you?

Not so long ago, Mandarin Companion surveyed over a thousand Chinese learners worldwide. They discovered six main types of Chinese learners. What kind of Chinese learner are you?

7 ways to upgrade your Chinese reading skills in China

Reading skills are vital, not only for high-level proficiency of the Chinese language, but also for daily survival: from opening a bank account to ordering plane tickets. Reading is key. Here are seven ways to boost your Chinese reading ability while staying in China.

Learning Mandarin: how to continue after you leave China?

I studied Chinese in China for six months. Returning home, I felt that I had made progress, but the time wasn’t adequate to become fluent. How to continue improving your Chinese after you leave?

Real immersion: Learning Chinese at Keats in Kunming

Interview: I talked to the co-founder of Keats Chinese language School Zier Liu (刘子尔) and asked her why students keep returning every year and how Keats adepts to the present Covid-situation.

What are the pros and cons of learning Chinese?

Are you considering to learn Chinese? What speaks in favor, what speaks against learning one of the most difficult languages in the world? This is what the Mandarin learning community has to say about it.

10 tips for learning Chinese in China

What better place to learn Chinese than China: here are 10 things you can do to make the most of your learning experience in China.

“Should you still learn Chinese?”

Should you still learn Chinese? My own answer hasn’t really changed, how about yours?

HSK Chinese Graded Reader - The New Housekeeper - Front

HSK 6 Chinese Graded reader review: The New Housekeeper

I purchased a copy of Edmund Chua’s and Ranny Ran’s Graded Chinese Reader for HSK 6 called “The New Housekeeper”. I’d only recommend it to a specific group.

Chineasy vs Uncle Hanzi: two radical approaches to Chinese characters

What helps you to memorize Chinese characters?

G.E.M.鄧紫棋 – 差不多姑娘 (2019)

Looking for something to explain the rich meaning of the Chinese expression 差不多 I came across this…

崔健 – 一无所有 (1986)

Today the father of Chinese rock, Cui Jian, turns 59! His song Nothing to my name is…

Understanding China and Mandarin with 7 Chinese film classics

These mostly older Mainland Chinese movies I’ve come to like and recommend to anyone interested in China.

How much Mandarin can you listen to in one month?

For one month I digitally teamed up with like-minded spirits for a Mandarin learning challenge. This is what I learned.

What does your HSK level really tell about your Mandarin skills?

The HSK merry-go-round or why you shouldn’t be focused on HSK results only.

人生第一次 – The Firsts in Life

“人生第一次” or “The Firsts in Life” is a very popular documentary series in China. Here’s why I think it’s a good resource for learning Mandarin – even though it has one problem.

Chinese dreams (2019): must-watch China doc

Many western China doc’s are deeply rooted in prejudice and choose the moral high ground. Hardly surprising: they don’t bring any new insights. There are exceptions though…

花儿乐队 – 果汁分你一半 (2006)

The flowers – I share half a cup of my juice with you (2006) 我要那个那个那个那个那个那个那个那个那个啊你要那个那个那个那个那个那个那个那个那个啊 月亮弯弯 绵绵绵绵缠缠果汁分你一半…

jamie bilbow cooking with granny

New show: Granny knows best 奶奶最懂得 (2019, TV series)

More about cooking! In his new show Jamie Bilbow explores rural China to learn from the true kitchen heroes – Chinese grandmothers. How did the British moderator become so fluent in Mandarin?! Three reasons why you should watch the show.