Tag: Mandarin
How to find online Chinese lessons that are truly worth your time and money? In this blog,…
Eunuchs, or huanguan (宦官, huàn guān), have been a notable and often controversial presence in Chinese history. These castrated men held unique and powerful positions within the imperial court, shaping the political and cultural landscape of China for centuries. From their origins to their roles, this blog post explores the role of eunuchs in Chinese history and how they were perceived by the people of their time.
This post I’ve been wanting to write for years. Now I finally did. A reflection on marathon…
Generative AI is fast, affordable and advancing rapidly. Can AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Gemini perform tasks of a language tutor and make costly Chinese lessons dispensable?
You want to know how to say ‘Chinese Language’ in Chinese? This is a in-depth guide to the name and nuances that should answer all your questions.
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?
If you’re (self-)studying Chinese nowadays, you’ve probably never heard of John DeFrancis’ classic Chinese reader. The Beginning Chinese Reader was first published by Yale University Press in 1966 and still can be purchased today. But is it worth buying and why (not)?
This comprehensive review explores nine apps designed to enhance Chinese reading skills for learners at various proficiency levels. The Chairman’s Bao and Du Chinese, which are well-known for their extensive libraries and graded materials, face competition from newer apps like Dot Languages and mylingua, introducing AI features.
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.
Experiment: can ChatGPT correct my badly written Chinese texts better than a Chinese teacher?
Maayot is a fairly new app that helps to improve your Chinese reading, writing and speaking. It is nicely designed and powered by a dedicated team in Hongkong. I tested it for one month. Here’s the summary of my experience learning Chinese with maayot.
Since ChatGPT knows everything, I asked the AI-tool for his best learning advice for Chinese learners. Not just random learning advice, but broken down into learning tips for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners. The results can be taken seriously. Find out which learning advice ChatGPT has in store for your current language goals.
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 blog I recommend 10 must-see films about (or made during) the Chinese cultural revolution, complete with indication of subtitles and difficulty level.
This summer I visited China and instead of using Pleco, I’ve been using Hanping Chinese Pro for a change, as well as testing Hanping Camera and Popup. Here’s my review of all three Hanping apps for Android.
You want to improve your Mandarin skills? For some of the greatest online resources for Chinese you don’t have to look far: they can be found on YouTube. But where to start? This is my updated top 10 of YouTube channels for learning Chinese.
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.
Rural China is the raw reality most Chinese people come from. Here are 10 film recommendations about the Chinese countryside, including some real classics.