In this article, we’ll explore the top 5 ways to kickstart your Mandarin journey, offering a diverse range of tools and tricks you can utilize to make your Chinese learning journey enjoyable and painless, based on my own personal experience.

If you’re already an advanced learner, this article may help you in developing your Chinese fluency

1. Follow a Structure

When it comes to language learning I often think about the road that I would recommend people to take and I compare it to driving a car. If you have a sat-nav, you’re likely to get to your destination much faster than if you just try to figure it out as you go along. Studying Chinese is exactly the same, so I’d recommend any new beginner to pick a structured learning method if they’re interested in learning beyond a few basic phrases.

The benefit of these structured approaches to learning is that they allow you to follow the path that an expert has set out, often saving time in the long run. It also allows you to measure progress along the way, so you can see the improvements you’re making.

I’d recommend trying a few out and finding which one fits you. There are a number of different structures you can pick depending on what your goals are. For example, the HSK exams are great if you love the academic side of language learning, whereas Ninchanese is excellent if you enjoy a well-structured, gamified approach to language learning.

2. Have Fun

This is perhaps one of the most underrated tips I have seen in the language-learning community, have fun!

The biggest tip is to find what aspect of the Chinese language you enjoy and try to immerse yourself in that area. For me personally, I love reading, so reading Chinese novels is my preferred way of practicing my reading skills. If you’re interested in films or TV series, then watching shows may be the best way for you to practice your skills. There may be a lot of other possible motivations for you, for example learning to cook Chinese food, eating at Chinese restaurants, learning about the history
or culture, chatting with people, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Just make sure you don’t rely on a textbook, as it’s a perfect method to get bored. Fun and interactive methods will go a long way over the course of your study to keep you interested, engaged, and motivated to keep going.

3. Join the Community

There are a lot of Chinese language learners out there and there are some excellent platforms out there for you to connect with them. The benefit of this is being able to learn from the experience of others to make your learning journey as smooth as possible. I recommend checking out this Chinese learning blog as it contains a lot of useful information about learning Chinese and gives a personal

View on the reality of learning Chinese

Connecting with other learners as well as language learning partners can be a great motivation, as well as sharing resources, hints, and tips for the most effective ways to learn Chinese.

You can also check out Chinese-forums.com as a great place to make friends and learn more about learning Chinese.

4. Use the Resources Available

There are a lot of really good resources available for Chinese learners in the modern world. The best advice I can give is not to rely on just a single tool or resource.

My experience as a Chinese learner is that all the tools are effective ways to learn, but never cover the whole spectrum of what you need to learn the Chinese language effectively. So the best solution is to utilize multiple different tools to take advantage of the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of them. For example, Pleco is a wonderful app for helping you with learning Chinese
characters and practicing reading, but it won’t help you with developing your speaking skills.

There are some platforms that over a pretty comprehensive coverage of all the major skills you will need, Ninchanese being one of them.

5. Pick a Goal, Find your Motivation

Relating to point 1 and point 2 is to pick your goal based on what you are interested in and what will motivate you to study. It will also help you to direct your learning in a way that suits you.

You should study all aspects of the language to get the full benefit, but that doesn’t mean you can’t focus more on one aspect that you particularly enjoy. When you build your study plan, think about what is motivating you to learn to speak Chinese. Many things might motivate you, for example, if you’re planning a trip to China, you might want to focus your study on speaking and listening, and focusing your learning on specific areas that you will find useful.

Ninchanese has an excellent selection of different lessons targeted at these which I particularly like. For example, they have a course dedicated to the Chinese language relevant to video games as well as many other interesting areas. If you have a particular area of interest, learning the words for that area and using them often is a great idea.

Check out this blog post if you’re interested in learning more about Chinese graphic novels

The post Top 5 Ways to Get Started Learning Chinese appeared first on Ninchanese.

We know that learning Chinese can sometimes feel like a cat-astrophe, especially when it comes to mastering its grammar. But fear not. Ninchanese is here to save the day with our new, AI Chinese learning feature that will revolutionize your language learning experience!

Introducing our latest addition to the Ninchanese family: an AI Chinese grammar feature. Easily pinpoint and correct errors in your Chinese sentence structure and grammar, so you can learn Chinese smarter and faster! And guess what? This groundbreaking technology is powered by GPT, a popular AI language model developed by OpenAI, like the pretty popular now ChatGPT. This ensures you receive accurate, reliable feedback on your learning.

Easily spot and understand the mistakes you make when building sentences in Chinese

With our new AI-driven grammar tool, you can expect:

1. Instant feedback: Submit your sentence and watch our AI, powered by GPT, get to work! It will analyze it and provide you with immediate feedback on your grammar and sentence structure when it’s wrong. You’ll get a clear explanation of the mistake you made. No more waiting for a teacher or a native speaker to correct your work. You’ll get the guidance you need right away!
2. Clear explanations: Not only will our AI tell you what’s wrong, but it’ll also give you clear explanations of why it’s a mistake, and guidance on how to improve. By offering detailed insights and examples, you’ll gain a better understanding of Chinese grammar rules and be able to apply them more effectively in your future sentences.
3. Adaptive learning: Our AI feature, backed by GPT, constantly learns and adapts to your language progress, offering personalized feedback and guidance tailored to your needs. This ensures you’re always challenged and engaged, making the most of your language-learning journey.
4. A fun, gamified experience: Our AI-powered feature is seamlessly integrated into the Ninchanese app. You can enjoy all the fun, feline-filled adventures while learning Chinese like a pro.

As a member of the Ninchanese community, you now have the purr-fect opportunity to put our new AI tool to the test and watch your Chinese language skills soar. Remember, practice makes purrfect!

Making our approach to Chinese grammar even more meowvelous

At Ninchanese, we have always been committed to making Chinese language learning meaningful and engaging. Over the past few years, we’ve been working diligently on our Chinese grammar lessons. Each lesson is regularly reviewed to ensure it is interesting, accurate, and easily digestible for language learners. As a result, we’re proud to have our Chinese grammar app ranked first on Android. We’re thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we receive from our users and readers on our comprehensive grammar lessons.

However, we understand that learning a language isn’t just about completing exercises; it’s also about understanding why we make mistakes and how to improve. While our users have been able to access our grammar lessons for free during their exercises, it was often challenging for them to determine the reasons behind their errors without direct guidance.
introduce our new AI-powered feature, which complements our handcrafted grammar lessons and exercises. This advanced technology allows us to provide targeted, insightful explanations for each mistake, helping you learners grasp the nuances of the Chinese language more effectively. We believe this AI-enhanced approach will not only elevate your learning experience but also solidify our position as leaders in the field of Chinese language education.
Give this new Premium AI Chinese grammar feature a try now

Join us in celebrating the launch of our meowtastic AI Chinese grammar feature! We’re offering a special 10% discount on your first subscription with the coupon code NINCHAI10. So don’t wait any longer – sign up now and let the learning begin! [Offer valid on new subscriptions and upgrades. Offer expires on April 4th, 11:59 pm CET.]

Stay pawsitive and happy learning,

The Nincha Team

P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for even more language learning tips, tricks, and furr-ocious puns!

The post New AI Chinese Grammar Powered by ChatGPT: Unleash Your Inner Language Purrfectionist appeared first on Ninchanese.

When you’re learning Chinese, discovering 流行用语, aka Chinese slang expressions (liú xíng yòng yǔ) is a fun and interesting way to get a deeper understanding of the language and culture. However, before diving in, it’s important to know which phrases are appropriate to use in different situations. In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the most interesting, quirky, and downright wacky slang expressions in Chinese to know in 2023, along with their meanings and how to use them in context. Prepare to spice up your Chinese vocabulary with some seriously meowy slang!

1. Chinese slang: 蒟蒻 (jǔ ruò)

First up in your collection of popular words to know is 蒟蒻, a self-deprecating slang term used to refer to oneself as a noob or a newbie.

You’ll see it often used in online gaming communities and online. If you’re a new player to a game, for instance, you might say:
我是蒟蒻，还请多多关照
Wǒ shì jǔ ruò, hái qǐng duō duō guān zhào
I’m a noob, please take care of me.

Here’s how to use this slang expression in context:
A: 你打得好烂啊，是不是蒟蒻啊？
Nǐ dǎ de hǎo làn a，shì bù shì jǔruò a?
You play so poorly, are you a newbie?

B: 没错，我才刚开始学呢。
Méi cuò，wǒ cái gāng kāi shǐ xué ne
B: Yes, I’m just getting started.

Fun fact: Look up 蒟蒻 and you’ll see pictures of konjac, that calorie-free plant that was a popular noodle substitute a while back.
How did we get to “noob” from there? Konjac in Chinese (蒟蒻 (jǔ ruò) sounds like 巨[jù] 弱[ruò], which means very weak. From there, it’s easy to picture how online, especially, this came to mean “noob”.

2. 酱紫 (jiàng zǐ)

Next up is another great buzzword to know is 酱紫.

Because it sounds very similar to 这样子, it also means “like this” or “in this way”. The difference is that you will often use it playfully or sarcastically.

For example, if someone says “你怎么不去问问他呢? (nǐ zěn me bù qù wèn wèn tā ne?) which means “Why don’t you go ask him?”, you could sarcastically respond with “酱紫啊，太感谢你的好建议了” (jiàng zǐ a, tài gǎn xiè nǐ de hǎo jiàn yì le), which means “Oh, great idea, thanks so much!”

A: 今天要开会，你怎么穿得这么随便？
Jīntiān yào kāihuì，nǐ zěn me chuān dé zhè me suí biàn？
We have a meeting today, why are you dressed so casually?

B: 酱紫不行吗？
Jiàng zǐ bù xíng ma?
What’s wrong with that?

3. Chinese slang expression: 吃瓜 (chī guā)

Meaning “to eat watermelon seeds,” you’ll find 吃瓜 (chī guā) is a meowvelous slang expression to use to describe someone who is watching a situation from the sidelines without directly getting involved. It’s often used to describe people who are gossiping or watching drama unfold without participating in it themselves.

It’s purrfect to talk about bystanders or gawkers. For example, you can say:
他们两个人吵架了，我们都在一旁吃瓜看戏。
Tāmen liǎng gè rén chǎojià le，wǒmen dōu zài yī páng chī guā kàn xì
The two of them were arguing, and we were all standing by watching and waiting to see what would happen

Or
吃瓜群众看热闹。
Chī guā qúnzhòng kàn rènao.
The crowd watches the excitement with interest.

Curious to see 吃瓜 (chī guā) used in context? Here are two dialogues using it:

A: 这个新闻真扯。
Zhège xīnwén zhēn chě.
This news is sensationalized.

B: 别说了，我们只是吃瓜群众。
Bié shuō le, wǒmen zhǐshì chīguā qúnzhòng.
Let’s not say anything, we’re just bystanders watching the drama.

Here’s another way to use this Chinese slang expression:
A: 你听说了吗？ 王老师辞职了。
Nǐ tīngshuō le ma？ Wáng lǎoshī cízhí le.
Have you heard? Teacher Wang resigned.

B: 没有，怎么回事？
Méi yǒu，zěn me huí shì ？
No, what happened?

A: 不知道，我也是刚刚在微博上看到的，咱们吃瓜看热闹吧！
Bù zhīdào，wǒ yě shì gāng gang zài Wēibó shàng kàn dào de，zánmen chīguā kàn rènao ba ！
I don’t know. I just saw it on Weibo. Let’s just watch and see what happens.

4. 搞笑 (gǎo xiào)

搞笑 means “funny” or “humorous” and is often used to describe comedic content. For example, if you watch a funny video on Chinese social media, you might say “这个视频真的太搞笑了” (zhè ge shì pín zhēn de tài gǎo xiào le), which means “This video is really funny.”

A: 这个视频好搞笑啊！
Zhè ge shìpín hǎo  gǎoxiào le
This video is so funny!

B: 我也觉得，笑得我肚子疼。
Wǒ yě jué de xiào de wǒ dùzi téngI think so too, I laughed until my stomach hurt.

Think about who you’re talking to when using this Chinese-language expression: 搞笑 gǎo xiào could be considered somewhat informal and may not be appropriate in certain professional or formal settings.

5. The popular expression: 神犇 (shén bēn)

You use the slang term 神犇 (shén bēn) to describe someone extremely talented or skilled in a particular area. Imagine, if you know someone who is a talented musician, you might say to brag about them to your friends “他真是一个音乐神犇” (tā zhēn shì yī gè yīn yuè shén bēn). That means “He’s a real musical genius.”

Here’s how you can use this slang expression in context:

A: 他真的是个神犇，什么都会。
Tā zhēn de shì gè shénbēn，shénme dōu huì
He’s really a genius, he can do anything.

B: 是啊，我都有点佩服他了。
Shì a， wǒ dōu yǒu diǎn pèi fú tā le。
Yeah, I’m starting to admire him.

Fun fact: 神 means “god”. And because the character 犇 contains three times the character “牛” (cow”), and something “牛” is awesome in Chinese, this expression 神犇 took on the meaning of “十分牛”, that is to say, “extremely good”, to the point of being “god-like”.

6. Celebrate with the buzzword 撒花 (sā huā)

Want to celebrate something? Then, 撒花 (sā huā) is the expression you’ll want to use. It’s similar to saying “hooray” or “yay” in English.

So, for instance, if you’re told your friend won the lottery or another piece of good news, you might respond with 撒花 (sā huā!), which means “Hooray!”

A: 我通过了考试，撒花！
Wǒ tōngguò le kǎoshì，sāhuā！
I passed the exam, celebrate with me!

B: 恭喜恭喜，要好好庆祝一下！
Gōng xǐ gōng xǐ ， yào hǎo hǎo qìng zhù yī xià
Congratulations, we should definitely celebrate!

7. 摸鱼 (mō yú)

摸鱼 (mō yú) is a slang term you use to describe someone who is slacking off or goofing off. You’ll find it particularly handy to describe a situation where someone is not working hard or as diligently as they should be.

For example, if your colleague at work in China is taking a long break and not doing their work, you might say:
他今天一直在摸鱼
Tā jīntiān yīzhí zài mōyú
He’s been slacking off all day.

Here’s how you can use this popular expression in context:
A: 你最近在忙什么呢?
Nǐ zuì jìn zài máng shén me ne?
What have you been busy with lately?

B: 最近上班太累了，经常摸鱼。
Zuì jìn shàng bān tài lèi le, jīng cháng mō yú
I’ve been really tired at work lately, so I’ve been slacking off a lot.

8.双倍奉还 (shuāng bèi fèng huán)

双倍奉还 is an idiom in Chinese that means “to pay back twice as much” or “to retaliate with double the force.” It’s often used to describe situations where someone has been wronged or hurt and is seeking justice or revenge. For example, if someone steals from you, you might say “我一定让他双倍奉还” (wǒ yī dìng ràng tā shuāng bèi fèng huán), which means “I will make him pay back twice as much.”

This expression can also be used in a playful way, such as when someone gives you a gift or does something nice for you. In this case, you might say “谢谢你的礼物，我会双倍奉还的” (xiè xiè nǐ de lǐwù, wǒ huì shuāng bèi fèng huán de), which means “Thank you for your gift, I will repay you doubly.”

Here’s another dialogue showing you how to use this expression:

A: 你欠我的钱，什么时候还？
Nǐ qiàn wǒ de qián，shén me shí hou huán
A: You owe me money, when will you pay me back?

B: 不用急，我会尽快还你，双倍奉还。
Bù yòng jí，wǒ huì jǐn kuài hái nǐ，shuāng bèi fèng huán.
Don’t worry, I’ll repay you as soon as possible, with double the amount.

A cultural note on slang expressions in Chinese

Slang expressions are an important part of the Chinese language and culture. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, using slang is a great way to connect with native speakers, add some personality to your language skills, and maybe even score a few laughs along the way.

Just remember, these phrases can be playful and interesting, as long as you use them appropriately and stay aware of their nuances and connotations. While these phrases can be tons of fun, it’s important to be aware of their connotations and usage contexts so that you can use them with confidence and respect. When in doubt, for instance, exercise discretion, and check what setting you’re in. In professional and formal settings, particularly, it’s advisable to err on the side of caution and use more neutral language.

And once you have that in mind, especially when you’re with friends you trust, purrfect! Give these slang expressions a try in a safe space, with your friends, so they can tell you without being shocked if you screwed up using a word! Go ahead and start using these phrases in your daily life, impress your friends with your cool Chinese slang, and don’t forget to have fun with it!

On that note, there you have it, folks! We hope you’ve enjoyed this wild ride through some of the most popular and fun slang expressions in Chinese to know in 2023.

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese, which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet, or on your phone with the Android app.

Enjoy!

Sarah &

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
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The post 8 Fun Chinese Slang Expressions to Impress Your Friends in 2023 appeared first on Ninchanese.

Worlds 1 and 2 (HSK 1 and 2) are perfect for beginners just starting their Chinese learning journey.

These worlds introduce a limited number of vocabulary words, focusing on the most essential words and phrases you’ll need to communicate about basic topics. In addition, you’ll learn how to introduce yourself, ask for directions, order food, and more – all of which are essential for getting around and interacting with people in China.

In addition to introducing essential vocabulary, these worlds also provide a solid foundation for the next worlds, helping you get a feel for the structure and grammar of the language. You’ll learn basic sentence structures and how to conjugate verbs in Chinese (you’ll see it is different than other languages), which will set you up for success as you move on to more advanced topics.

Worlds 1 and 2 are great starting points for anyone looking to learn Chinese and get a feel for the language. With time and regular practice, you’ll be able to communicate about basic topics and build a strong foundation for your Chinese learning journey.

World 3 (HSK3): An important milestone in your Chinese learning journey

World 3 (HSK3) is an intermediate-level world that builds on the foundation you’ve established in Worlds 1 and 2. In this world, you’ll learn more vocabulary words and encounter more complex grammar structures, which will help you express yourself more accurately and fluently in Chinese. In addition, you’ll learn how to use different times, form complex questions, and use more advanced sentence structures, all of which will help you express yourself more accurately and fluently in Chinese.

By completing World 3, you’ll have a much richer understanding of the Chinese language and be able to read (somewhat) easy Chinese newspaper articles. In addition, you’ll be able to understand more complex sentences and ideas and express your thoughts and opinions more clearly. This is an important milestone in your Chinese learning journey, as it marks the point at which you’re able to engage with more advanced texts and materials in Chinese.

Overall, World 3 is an important step in your Chinese learning journey, as it helps you build a more advanced foundation for the language and prepares you for more advanced topics. With time and regular practice, you’ll be able to progress through this world and continue to build your Chinese skills.

World 4 (HSK4): A high level of Chinese proficiency 

World 4 (HSK4) is an intermediate and advanced-level world that builds on the skills you’ve developed in previous worlds. In this world, you’ll be able to discuss a wide range of subjects and confidently use all essential grammar points and structures. In addition, you’ll learn how to express your thoughts and opinions more effectively, ask for and give advice, and use more advanced vocabulary and grammar structures to convey more complex ideas.

By the time you complete World 4, you’ll have a high level of Chinese proficiency and be able to understand most of a Chinese show. You’ll be able to engage in more advanced conversations with Chinese speakers and express yourself fluently and accurately. Chinese people will consider your Chinese excellent if you can complete this world, and you’ll be able to communicate about a wide range of topics with ease.

Overall, World 4 is an essential milestone in your Chinese learning journey, as it marks the point at which you’ve developed a high proficiency in the language. With time and regular practice, you’ll be able to progress through this world and continue to build your Chinese skills, eventually reaching fluency.

World 5 (HSK5): Encounter a wide range of topics and situations

World 5 (HSK5) is an advanced-level world that builds on the skills you’ve developed in previous worlds. This world includes more challenging vocabulary and will help you understand everything in a show or difficult newspaper article. You’ll learn to use more advanced grammar structures and idiomatic expressions and encounter a wide range of challenging vocabulary words that will help you express yourself more accurately and fluently in Chinese.

By the time you complete World 5, you’ll have reached a high level of Chinese proficiency and be able to understand most spoken and written Chinese. You’ll be able to engage in advanced conversations with Chinese speakers and understand more complex texts and materials. If you can complete this world, you can consider yourself fluent in Chinese – meow!

Overall, World 5 is an important step in your Chinese learning journey, as it helps you develop a high level of proficiency in the language and prepares you for more advanced topics. With time and regular practice, you’ll be able to progress through this world and continue to build your Chinese skills, eventually reaching fluency.

World 6 (HSK6): A great way to further refine your skills and take your Chinese to an even higher level

World 6 (HSK6) is the last world being developed and will focus on high-level vocabulary and idioms, with fewer grammar points but more cultural elements in the dialogues. This world is designed for advanced learners who want to take their Chinese to the next level and become proficient in the more complex and idiomatic language.

In this world, you’ll encounter a wide range of challenging vocabulary words and idiomatic expressions that will help you express yourself more accurately and fluently in Chinese. You’ll also learn more about Chinese culture and customs, which will help you better understand and communicate with Chinese speakers.

While World 6 is more challenging than the previous worlds, it will take your Chinese to an even higher level and help you develop a high level of proficiency in the language. 

Overall, World 6 is an exciting new addition to the Ninchanese curriculum and is an excellent way for advanced learners to take their Chinese to the next level.

The other courses: get specific

But that’s not all – Ninchanese also has unique worlds that cater to specific interests or needs. The Chinese Phrasebook, for example, is an excellent resource for anyone traveling to China, as it covers essential phrases and real-life situations. Here’s the stand-alone app.  And the Chinese Character Universe world is a fun and interactive way to learn Chinese characters.

So whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s something for everyone on Ninchanese. With time and regular practice, you’ll be able to learn all the characters, grammar, and tones and have fun doing it. Just remember to stay motivated (as we say in Chinese: 加油!), and don’t be afraid to explore different worlds and see what interests you.

We hope you find this information helpful and encourage you to check out our curriculum at https://ninchanese.com/chinese-curriculum-hsk1-beginner-basic-speaker/ to learn more. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us – we’re here to help you on your Chinese learning journey!

Wishing you all the best, 

Jean-Rémi

 Ninchanese co-founder

The post A Guide to the Chinese Learning Levels Courses on Ninchanese appeared first on Ninchanese.

From 漫画, màn huà, inspired by the classic ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ to the modern-day ‘The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (one of my personal favorites), there’s something for everyone. So whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting started, here are the top 10 Chinese manhuas of all time!

Before we dive in: Discover a Manhua and Donghua course

You’ll find these names in the Manhua course on Ninchanese too. There is a lot of specific lingo to know when going into the Manhua genre. It can sometimes be difficult to understand what’s going on, so we selected the essential Chinese vocabulary to know to understand Manhuas and Donhuas and made it available for everyone.

Top 10 Chinese Manhuas

All of these manhuas are not really beginner friendly. They require an intermediate to advanced level of Chinese. But I’ve found one less difficult! Head to the 11th bonus to discover which one it is!

1. 天官赐福 – Tiān guān cì fú – Heaven Official’s Blessing

You can read the manhua on Manga Bilibili

800 years ago, Xie Lian was a noble Crown Prince who ascended and became a god with tens of thousands of worshippers. However, he was demoted again and again and fell to rock bottom. Finally, 800 years later, Xie Lian ascended again, taking a mysterious young man home – the Ghost King Hua Cheng.

2. 原来你在这里 – Yuánlái nǐ zài zhèlǐ – Here U Are

You can read the manhua on Dongmanmanhua

Yang Yu meets Huan Li, a new student with a daunting presence. Despite Huan Li’sLi’s cold attitude towards him, Yang Yu believes their encounter will change his perspective on life and maybe even love.

3. 魔道祖师 – Módào zǔshī – The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

You can read the manhua on Kuaikan manhua

Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch, is summoned in a madman’s body and finds himself in Mo Village. There, he meets Lan Wangji. They investigate the mystery of a dismembered arm leaking demonic energy linked to Wei Wuxian’sWuxian’s past. Along the way, they face friends and enemies from Wei Wuxian’sWuxian’s past.

4. 長歌行 – Chánggē xíng – Song of the Long March

You can read the manhua on manhwatop

Song of the Long March follows the story of Princess Yongning, who survives a coup d’état that kills her family and then takes on the identity of Li Chang Ge. She moves to the Shou province and uses her wits to gain the trust of the Shou emperor, quickly climbing the military ranks as a brilliant strategist. The story follows her journey, full of countless adventures, friendships, and enemies.

5. SQ从你的名字开始 – SQ : cóng nǐ de míngzì kāishǐ – SQ: Begin W/Your Name!

You can read the manhua on QQ Manhua

Sun Jing has a crush on Qiu Tong, a cute girl she sees at the bus station. Finally, Sun Jing musters up the courage to introduce herself, and they become friends. Sun Jing is determined to make Qiu Tong smile and hopes her genuine kindness will eventually win her over.

6. 南号尚风 – Nán hào shàng fēng – Nanhao Shangfeng

You can read the manhua on QQ Manhua

Nanhao and Shangfeng are two high school boys who have been best friends since childhood. They experience the highs and lows of teenage life together as they navigate the ups and downs of their friendship and the world around them.

7. 19天 – 19 tiān – 19 Days

You can read the manhua on QQ Manhua

Five high school boys (Jianyi, Zhan Zhengxi, Fa Xiao, He Tian, and Mo Guan Shan) grow up together. They formed a solid friendship and go through many funny and life-changing experiences.

8. 封神紀 I & II & III – Fēng shén jì I & II & III – Gods and Monsters: Feng Shen Ji I & II & III

You can read the manhua on 98 comic

The gods sent a messenger to Zhao Ge, but the Shang dynasty emperor Zi Zhou refused to bow his head and declared his independence. In response, Wu Jifa of a neighboring land leads a crusade against the Shang. Zhao joins the fight, but a god intervenes and confronts him directly.

9. 独领风骚 – Dú lǐng fēngsāo – The one

You can read the manhua on 18p

Lele is born into the fashion industry but hates it due to the tragic loss of her parents. She is reluctantly drawn into modeling by her mother’s sister but finds inspiration in American model Angus Lanson. When Lele meets Angus and his twin brother Eros, she embarks on a journey to become a top model in New York City and perhaps find love.

10. 火凤燎原 – Huǒ fèng liáoyuán – The Ravages of Time

You can read the manhua on Manhua gui

Ravages of Time is an adaptation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, focusing on the fortunes of Liu Bei, Cao Cao, the Sun family, and the Sima family. The Sima family is a successful and wealthy merchant family, led by the young Sima Yi, who has a knack for finding profitable business ventures. However, they also have a sinister side, commanding the Handicapped Warriors, a group of mercenary assassins who are reputed to be infallible.

11. 罗小黑战记 – Luō xiǎo hēi zhàn jì – The legend of Hei

You can read the manhua on Manga Bilibili

Luo Xiaohei, a cat spirit, is separated from the other spirits when humans deforest his home. He meets Wuxian, a human, and goes on a journey to learn to control his abilities and form his own opinion on whether to side with the spirits or humans.

And if you want to see the Donghua (the animated version), you can head here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNHcgyx2Cdw&list=PLK-ys7c4EcnrR4UiA9n1hRox8b0EJ88gx&index=2&ab_channel=JuneJacobs)

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese, which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet, or on your phone with the Android app.

Enjoy!

Jean-Rémi

&

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
Ninchanese is free to use!

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The post Top 10 Manhua of all time to read in Chinese appeared first on Ninchanese.

Early last year, in 2021, the Chinese Testing Center sent the Chinese learning world into a frenzy.

They announced there would be a new HSK 3.0. 9 new HSK levels instead of the 6 existing ones, a full revamp of the content in each level, and a whopping addition of 3,000 words to learn. The new HSK 3.0 promised to bring with it a lot of changes for Chinese learners everywhere.

Related: Read all about the rumors and facts surrounding the new HSK 3.0

A key date in the introduction of the new HSK 3.0 was: March 2022.

What was supposed to happen to the HSK in March 2022?

In March 2022, as we wrote here, testing for the higher levels (HSK 7, HSK 8, and HSK 9) would officially start.

But… April 1st went by, and this was no April fool’s joke: there was nothing new regarding the new HSK 3.0. Higher-level tests had definitely not started. The most advanced HSK level was still HSK 6.

Related: Learn HSK 6 with the complete HSK 6 Course on Ninchanese.

Granted, Covid and the pandemic have put a foil on everyone’s plans and delayed many things. So, quite understandably, March 2022 was a deadline that wasn’t met.

Fast forward to now (November 2022), and the situation is pretty much the same. Almost. Things are slowly changing. Finally!

Update on HSK 3.0 November 2022: Mostly nothing new for HSK 1-6 BUT some news

So far, there has been no news on a possible new release date for HSK 3.0 for levels 1 through 6.

No official testing material, no official lists aside from what was released last year as part of the “Standard” for learning.

So don’t believe all the sites that say they have an update: there’s none. Or, actually, that’s the update. HSK 1 to 6 will remain exactly the same as they are now.

I repeat: no changes to come in the next 2 to 3 years regarding the HSK 1-6. They will remain exactly the same.

What does that mean?

This means the HSK 2.0 is still the most up-to-date system of Chinese proficiency tests. HSK 1 through HSK 6  tests won’t be changing, and HSK 1-6 learning content won’t be modified.

Your test results are still valid. Phew!  Plus, purrfect news: you can prepare for all HSK levels on Ninchanese! From HSK 1 to HSK 6, we’ve got you for all your Chinese learning needs.

That’s the official word: no HSK 3.0 in sight, for now, for levels HSK1 to 6. In 2 to 3 years, there’ll be a “gradual adaptation of the HSK 1-6 levels to meet the new “Standards”. No deadline has been given for that, either. Wait and see, people, wait and see.

Of course, we’ll keep monitoring the situation. So in the meantime, relax. Keep on studying as you have been.

We will be the first to let you know if anything changes on that HSK 3.0 front. In a couple of years.

HOWEVER.

Drumroll please….

Testing begins for HSK 7, HSK 8 and HSK 9

There’s finally news regarding the new advanced HSK 7 to 9 levels.

The very first HSK 7-9 “test” test is said to have taken place! On November 26th, 2022, to be precise.

Yes, test singular, since it’s one single test for all three new levels. Then, based on your results, you’re told which new HSK level you belong to.

Here’s an official description of the HSK 7 to 9 test’s goals (link in Mandarin Chinese), and more info about the test format.

That’s all we know so far.

What else is new HSK? (April 2022 update)

That doesn’t mean, though, that nothing else is new in the HSK World!

What’s new (since the end of 2021) is that you can take your HSK test at home, from the comfort of your own living room. That’s, of course, if you don’t have an HSK testing center nearby. For details and calendar dates of upcoming HSK Tests, read this.

When taking the home version of the HSK, what’s also new is there’s an HSK Speaking test now to take. Not to worry, Ninchanese also prepares you to speak Chinese, so you’re covered.

Lastly, we’re also very proud to announce that you can now prepare for the complete HSK 6 on NInchanese! Wet finished adding the very last HSK 6 content, and it’s all there for you to study!

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
Ninchanese is free to use!

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The post HSK 3.0 November 2022 Update: Did the new HSK 3.0 come out? appeared first on Ninchanese.

Reader apps provide graded Chinese texts and tools to help you decipher a text quickly. Today we’re reviewing Du Chinese, one of the most popular Graded Chinese readers.

What is Du Chinese?

Du Chinese is an online and mobile text reader.

Available on iOS and Android, it helps you read Chinese texts with a few well-done tools.

Du Chinese is excellent for improving your reading skills and understanding Chinese stories. It’s purfect for Chinese learners who want to be able to read Chinese texts and reinforce what they already know.

读 Du means to read in Chinese, so even the name shows you how much it wants to help you read in Chinese.

Content of Du Chinese app

What kind of content does Du Chinese offer? You have lots to choose from! You can browse over 1,900 texts on the app, which is impressive.

There’s plenty of text categorized into New Lessons and Top Stories. There are also a few Series of Novels in Chinese, which are stories in multiple chapters. In addition, you have some categories like Business in China, Everyday Life, Language, and Funny Stories. You can extend each type of category with the see more button.

The Du Chinese team or other Chinese schools like Go East Mandarin, LTL, or Excel Mandarin write these stories, which says a lot about the quality of the content.

Stories, organized by level

Any Chinese learner that’s attempted to read in Chinese knows that it can be hard to find a text that suits them well.

Du Chinese thought of that and made it easy for you.

With their graded system, there’s content available at every level, whether you’re a newbie or an advanced Chinese learner.

Moreover, all their texts, from the single-page stories to the multi-chapter longer ones, are carefully tagged by level, so you always know what you’re diving into.

Some story recommendations to start with Du Chinese

Wondering where to start? There are quite a few recommendations when you open the app and have indicated your reading level, and I recommend trying one that looks interesting.

Here are also a few series that I like to get you going. “Ben’s life in China” is a fantastic series to read, full of helpful content to know at the intermediate level. It’s perfect if you are living in the country. You could consider it a great addition to our course “the Chinese Phrasebook” on Ninchanese.

If you’re a beginner, you can read the “story of a cat” (obviously, considering you’re learning with cats on Ninchanese!). The series is elementary and goes slow, with quite a lot of repetition of accessible characters. It’s maybe even a little too easy, but it’s an excellent start for beginners looking to ease into reading Chinese texts.

You can also try the “funny story” section with a very Chinese humor style. I’ll let you explore that one; I’m sure you’ll find one story amusing.

How do you use Du Chinese?

A pleasant reading experience

If you just want to get reading, it’s pretty straightforward. Select a story, and you are presented with the text to read.

The text itself is well presented, without any fuss. There are three parts to the screen on the mobile app:

• first, a translation tool part, where the translation of a word or sentence is,
• then, the middle, the most prominent part, is the Chinese text you are reading,
• and finally, the last part at the bottom is the menu. You access different customization options from there.

Easy tools to help you understand what you’re reading

Imagine you start reading the text and find a sentence you don’t understand. You can touch it and be presented with its complete translation at the top, above the text.

Or there’s a word you don’t understand. Touch it longer or hover over it; you can see a brief definition. Overall, it’s pretty easy to look up words you don’t know, thanks to a well-done text segmentation.

It’s also nice to have the translation available with your reading, all in one place.

Generally, the translation is good but sometimes a little short. Don’t worry; you can also long press on a word to get more info, which will take you to another page to see more definitions.

The definitions are from a free dictionary called CEDict, which is pretty good. We also used it in Ninchanese as a basis and then improved. So that’s an excellent point for them.

Sometimes, words are missing sentence examples, but you can always go to an external dictionary to see more info on that word.

Listen to the story as you read along, or turn it into a Chinese podcast

When reading, you can also press the play button at the sentence and hear the whole text read to you, with a nice little cursor, karaoke-style, to help you follow along. That makes it simple to follow while the voice reads it.

You can also easily pause the reading whenever you want or go back to a specific part of the text by simply touching the word or sentence you want to hear again.

Want to take a break from reading? You can also listen to the story being read with no text. I can imagine that being handy while on the go, jogging, for instance.

Customization options galore

Once you’re familiar with the app and know how you want your reading experience, you can customize how you want to read the text, to how you like it.

Change the reading speed

By default, the speed is set at 1x, which, in my experience, is actually quite slowed down. But it’s a good starting speed.

You can slow it down even more or go up to 1.5x speed, which sounds more like a normal speaker’s speed. So, at higher levels, that feels like a more natural speed.

Also, from what I have experienced, some texts are faster, so maybe they change the average speed depending on the difficulty of the text.

Show the pinyin (or don’t)

There’s a button directly on the text screen you can toggle on or off to choose whether you want the pinyin shown above the Chinese characters. That’s helpful because sometimes you know what it means but not the pinyin.

Turn off full translations

You can decide whether you want the app to show sentence translations or not. This is nice if you only want to see the translation of a word and not the whole sentence.

Plenty of visual options

If you go further into the submenu, you’ll find the rest of the customization options. Visually, your options are:

• You can choose simplified or traditional characters.
• You can select the font size for Chinese characters and pinyin.
• You can choose different types of fonts, which is helpful to get used to reading Chinese in various fonts, or if you prefer a different font to see the strokes more.
• You can underline the HSK level on each character. It’s cool, but I don’t recommend using it since it makes the text harder to read. But, you do as you like.
• You can customize how you want your character readings. Here, Du Chinese goes further than other reading apps. You can decideif you wisht to show pinyin for every character or only for some problematic words, such as words from higher HSK levels or names.
• Lastly, you can choose the transliteration model: the app can show you pinyin, tone marks only, or the Bopomofo system used in Taiwan instead.

The one thing I would have liked to see is an option to preset the sound speed I wanted. By default, as mentioned, the sound is at 1x, which I found too slow. I have to manually set it back to 1,5x at the beginning of each text. No biggie, but it definitely could be an option.

Simple navigation

Once you start reading a text and returning to the app later, the last story you read will be waiting for you on your homepage. You’ll find a shortcut to continue reading and studying the text, which is pretty nice. You can jump to the text from the homepage, and it is pretty straightforward to return to the lessons.

I would have liked to have more than one story in my home if I had started two or three texts simultaneously. For example, I expected that my favorite story would be there, but it wasn’t. Why can you star a story (presumably to favorite it), if you can’t find it again on the app’s home?

If you want to read something else, you need to use the nav bar and hit the discover button. There you’ll find all the content of Du Chinese.

Different approaches based on your level

All those ways to tailor your reading experience can be a little dizzying at first. But, not to worry, Du Chinese also adapts what it shows you based on the level of the text you’re reading.

Suppose you’re reading a newbie text. The sound is slowed down to make it easy for you when you’re starting. Then, gradually, as you go up in levels, the speed of the sound increases.

At higher levels, you also might not get translations automatically shown to you, and the app will only display pinyin for new or challenging words.

If you like how it’s presented, keep it that way. Or dive into the settings to make your reading time just the way you want it.

Does Du Chinese include flashcards?

Yes, Du Chinese has a built-in flashcard system. Admittedly, it’s a simple flashcard system, but it does the job.

What I like about it is when you’ve added a character to your learning stack, it shows you as an example the sentence where you first encountered that word. Sure, it’s not necessarily the most straightforward sentence that explains the word, but you understand the sentence better after a while. And finally, you can cram your words if you want to practice your Chinese a little more.

Can I learn Chinese with Du Chinese?

To answer this question fast, no, you won’t learn Chinese with Du Chinese. But you’ll improve your Chinese reading and listening skills if you use the option.

You won’t have clear Chinese grammar lessons or train yourself to make sentences or speak Chinese as Ninchanese does. There is no explicit curriculum on this graded reader; you are free to wander.

That’s what is great about it. It’s a great reader and will help significantly train your understanding of Chinese passively. So, in sum, it’s a great app in addition to your favorite learning app Ninchanese.

Is the Du Chinese web app or the mobile app better?

The web app is pretty pleasant; the interface is quite the same as the mobile app. It’s fast and easy to use. It’s easier to navigate between lessons on the web app, but reading a text on your mobile on the go is a plus for this kind of app.

Is Du Chinese free? The premium of the Du Chinese app

Some of the stories on Du Chinese are free so you can try Du Chinese out first.
But you’ll quickly realize that the more exciting stories are premium-only, which is entirely understandable.

Du Chinese uses a subscription-based model. Plans are priced at $15 per month.

On Du Chinese, they have three different types of “lessons.” First are stand-alone articles, there are also courses (articles connected within a single theme), and, lastly, multi-chapter stories, which all add up to thousands of lessons within Du Chinese. In addition, while I don’t have the exact number for you, they release about 5-7 free weekly lessons.

Is Du Chinese worth it? Is Du Chinese good?

Yes. It has a lot of content, and it is easy to use. You can use the web or mobile app, and you’ll improve your Chinese reading.

Du Chinese Discount

We discussed with the Du Chinese team to see if we could get you a nice discount on your subscription.
Peter, the cofounder of Du Chinese, was very kind and shared a great discount code that you can use on the app.

You’ll get a 20% discount with the code: NINCHANESE20.

The post Du Chinese Review of a great graded Reader appeared first on Ninchanese.

七夕快乐! Qī xī jié kuài lè! Happy Chinese Valentine’s!

Today is the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, and that’s a special day in China! It’s the Chinese’s Valentine’s Day! 七夕 (qī xī) is a day that’s been celebrated possibly since the Han Dynasty.

QiXi is also the double seven festival.

Also called the Double Seven festival (ah, that love for double numbers), 七夕 is a day reserved for love in the Middle Kingdom, making it the most romantic festival in China. First, celebrations and gifts are exchanged. Then, that day remains to be a day of love and friendships. So the perfect way to spend the 7th day of the 7th month — especially for couples in love is to spend time together are enjoy gifts.

What is the origin of the Qixi festival?

The origin of the Qixi Festival is a touching love story between Zhinü (织女), the weaver girl, a fairy from heaven, and Niulang (牛郎), the cowherd from Earth. As you can imagine, they fell in love but were not allowed to love each other freely. They couldn’t live without each other. Therefore, they decided to stay separated, though each was waiting for the other to be reborn and have a second chance at love. However, they loved each other so much that they were unwilling to let go. So they decided to live a happy ever after in the same place.

Qi Xi, the myth the legends

The legend said that the Goddess Mother Earth was extremely angry at them as they were not getting married. In preparation for their reunion, a two-day festival was to be held. The goddess Mother Earth explicitly forbade the first day for the two lovers to attend. The second was the actual wedding. The problem was that once they tried to get married, they would be together forever, but only if they were together during the festival’s first day. Their separation was obliviated from their minds, but the Goddess Mother Earth ensured that the festival’s first day would be painful if they were to attend. The goddess placed heavy curses on them to ensure they did not go.

Chinese legends explain the milky way.

Wikipedia says this about Qixi: thus, they were banished to opposite sides of the heavenly river (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, a flock of magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for a single day.

Love is a compromise.

So, as a compromise, they were allowed to meet once a year, on the 7th of the 7th lunar month… And thus, the 七夕 festival was born to commemorate their meeting (七 means 7 and 夕 dusk) and strong feelings of love.

Very cute, right? Have a wonderful Double Seven Festival!

The post Qixi festival: the Chinese Valentine’s day appeared first on Ninchanese.

So the first thing you need to do is know your objectives. Is it learning Chinese for a trip? Or to watch C Drama? Speaking with families? If it’s to knowing how to speak Mandarin for a journey, learning Chinese is pretty easy and fast.

If your objective is to be fluent in Chinese, then it’s not really difficult to start and understand how the Chinese language works, but it will require time. But it’s pretty fast to learn simple sentences if you want to have a basic conversation. If you want to be proficient then yes, Chinese is difficult to learn.

Once you know your objectives, you can choose a course on Ninchanese. There’s a course for every level and every need.

How do I start learning Chinese?

Starting to learn Chinese is easy. The first step is to learn to recognize Chinese characters and associate them with the right tones. Tones are essential in Chinese sounds since they give the correct meaning.

Once you understand the characters correctly, learning Chinese feels more like a puzzle. The Chinese grammar is pretty straightforward and more accessible than in most languages.

Then you need to know how to speak, and for that, practice and repetition are critical. On Ninchanese, you can learn the vocabulary, pinyin, and grammar, and with a voice recognition feature, you can also learn to speak.

How do beginners learn Chinese?

You start by learning characters and pinyin. Then you move on to words and sentences and then basic conversations. To learn Chinese means breaking the language into four parts: reading, speaking, listening, and writing. Being excellent and becoming fluent in Chinese is difficult.

The first thing is to choose an excellent method; otherwise, you’ll waste time. Ninchanese is made with beginners in mind, and it’s easy to start learning Chinese with Ninchanese.

The most advanced Chinese learners on the app can hold conversations and speak freely about what is on their minds. You’ll begin by learning Chinese characters and some basic grammar.

Then you’ll move on to easy dialogues. And every time you complete a stage on Ninchanese, you’ll get better and better. Once you finish Ninchanese, you’ll be as advanced as a Chinese scholar.

Can I learn Chinese on my own? Is Chinese difficult to learn alone?

Yes, you can learn Chinese on your own. There are a lot of resources to help you learn Chinese. And it is the way to learn Chinese since it takes time to learn the characters. You can’t expect a teacher to make the memorization for you!

You will be the one making efforts and then use it to speak with Chinese people. However, learning Chinese is much easier if you have regular contact with a native speaker. Learning with a partner, in a class, or through a language exchange is a good complement to Ninchanese and makes it much easier.

So the best is to have a self-learning method like Ninchanese so you can learn Chinese online and double it with a teacher or natives friends.

Can you learn Chinese without writing?

To learn the Chinese language, you need to know the characters. With today’s computers, you can learn to type with an IME, a Chinese keyboard of sorts, which simplifies learning the language.

Thanks to the IME, it means you can type in Chinese rather than write in Chinese. This improvement is much more effective and valuable. It might seem that Chinese is difficult for the beginner for, such a complicated language. I would say learning the base of writing is essential. Knowing how stroke orders work is important and will help to read a character better.

The great news is learning how to write a character is fast. The same rules apply to every character, so once you know it, you can just learn to recognize a character. 

How many words do you need to know to be fluent in Chinese?

You need to learn around 2500 characters to be fluent in Chinese, at least comfortable. You can learn all these characters on Ninchanese for free.

In addition, there is a Chinese character (or a combination of them) for everything, so you can know many more Chinese characters than is necessary to be fluent in Chinese. You often know characters from your field of work that other people, even Chinese, do not know. 

Can you learn Chinese without living in China?

Yes, you can learn Chinese without moving to China. If you do not live in China and your exposure to Chinese learning is limited, you can still progress in your Chinese knowledge.

So don’t despair, you can learn the language without going to the country. And you can start today. Then, once you have a great foundation, you’ll be ready to go to China and continue your learning there if you want.

How long does it take to become fluent or conversational in Mandarin?

Depending on how much time you spend a day and what you consider conversational, there are no set time limits to be able to speak Mandarin. However, you will reach a level of fluency at which the native ability in speaking, both written and pronunciation, will be much stronger.

Let’s say you’re learning every day on Ninchanese. In a month, you can achieve the HSK 1 level, which will grant you the ability to speak basic Chinese. In 6 months, you can have an intermediate level and speak about a lot of practical subjects. In certain situations, you’ll feel like you’re fluent! But for some other situation, you won’t be. And in a year, you achieve the advanced level of Chinese. At this level, you’ll be able to speak about every situation you encounter, but you will still likely have words you don’t know or idea you still have difficulty expressing.

If you learn any language, there will still be things to learn, words you don’t know, but you’ll be able to learn it pretty fast. The most difficult is to learn every day for a long time. So you need to make a good habit and have a routine installed in your life.

Can you learn Chinese by watching movies?

Watching Chinese movies helps to be better in Chinese. But it is a very superficial learning process. So no, you can’t learn Chinese only by watching a movie.

That being said, watching a movie is an excellent way to improve, but you need to be at least at an intermediate level to have it benefit your learning. So I recommend you not just watch movies or play games in Chinese but also read Chinese books, try to listen to conversations, and use Ninchanese to learn.

Having a method to learn alongside watching movies will make it more efficient, and you will memorize the characters better.

Should I learn to speak or write Chinese first?

This is a good question. You need to learn both at the same time. Focus on learning to speak first. You will have better communication skills and pronunciation. Still, it will be hard to read or write, which is a significant part of how a language works.

Chinese characters are unique and a part of the beauty of the Chinese language. The best way to learn Chinese is to learn the language while understanding the culture. And reading texts from Chinese author is a great way to learn more about China and its culture.

So, learn to speak and read Chinese characters first. Writing will come easily once you know how to do that.

So I hope I have answered the majority of question beginner ask us about learning Chinese. The journey is definitively fun, and it is incredibly rewarding to learn such a language spoken by one-third of the population.

The post Is Chinese difficult to learn? appeared first on Ninchanese.

So cheer up and let’s keep learning!

1. China might be closed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit other Chinese-speaking places.

Yeah, waiting for China to reopen is taking a while. But, hey, there are plenty of Chinese-speaking places in the world. The great news is that some have reopened already!

The meowsome Gardens by the Bay in Singapore are another good reason to learn Chinese – Photo by Isaac Matthew 

Did you know Singapore, for instance, has the Chinese language as one of its official languages? Plus you can travel there again.
Taiwan is slowly reopening too. There’s still a quarantine, true, but it’s being regularly shortened. Here’s to hoping there’ll be none one day soon! With the fact you can now learn in Traditional Chinese on Ninchanese, you have everything you need to get ready to go!

Related: Simplified or Traditional Chinese: which should you learn?

2. China might be far but there are plenty of occasions to speak Chinese around you.

Next to English and Spanish, Chinese is the most spoken language in the world.
So, look around you. You’re bound to find occasions to speak Chinese. To hear Chinese.
Chinatowns. Stores. People.

DC’s Chinatown is one of the many places you can go to practice speaking Chinese – Photo by Richard Tao

Go talk! There are plenty of occasions, everywhere! Just the other day, I chatted a good hour with the salespeople in a Chinese tea shop in Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Finding occasions to speak in Chinese, when you’re learning, is essential. Otherwise, you get rusty! Believe me, from experience, getting a chance to speak in Mandarin, if anything, will act as a great motivation to review what you’ve learned in Chinese so far and practice some more in Chinese!

Did you know, for instance, that Richmond, Canada has a 74% Asian population? It has the highest concentration of Chinese nationals outside of China. Why not schedule a trip there?

And if there are no real occasions where you live, go online. Learn Chinese online. Find people to talk to online. Come chat in Chinese on our Discord chat. Game in Chinese with Chinese speakers. Find yourself an online pen pal. The options are endless, you just have to go looking for them!

Related: What is the Chinese language?

3. It’s good for you from an economic point of view

What’s the downside to knowing an additional language in the job market? None, really.
What’s the downside to knowing the language spoken by one of the biggest economic powers in the world? Even more non-existent. In fact, it’s another meowsome reason to learn Chinese!

China’s brand new skyscrapers – Photo by Road Trip with Raj

From working in China to working with China, to working with Chinese people, for Chinese people, in Chinese, you have plenty of options.
Do you want to do business with China? Have Chinese suppliers?
Do you want to do translations? Interpretation?
In all those fields and many others, knowing Mandarin Chinese, and Business Chinese is a huge plus. So get your learning on!

Related: Explore the Chinese Business course on Ninchanese and get ready to do business in Chinese! 

Liking these reasons to learn Chinese so far? Here’s more!

4. It allows you to see the world from a different perspective

By learning the Chinese language, you’re opening yourself up to a different way of seeing the world, of perceiving it.

See the world differently. Photo by Yiran Ding

Learning Mandarin Chinese helps you have a different world approach. Concepts and ideas are expressed differently in Chinese.

It can be small things, like the fact you don’t “take” medicine, for instance, you “eat” it in Chinese ((You 吃药). And bigger things. For example, the Chinese sentence order is wildly different from, say, the way sentences are shaped in English.
Or the fact that you and me, we might think “I” and point to ourselves. We’re used to thinking solo. A Chinese speaker, when tasked with drawing “I”, the self, might, on the contrary, draw themselves surrounded by others. The concept of “self” is a little different in the Middle Kingdom.

It’s the little details like that that give you insights into how the Chinese people think. Personally, I find that endlessly fascinating. It’s definitely one of the reasons I’ve never stopped learning Chinese.

Plus, if expanding your understanding of cultural differences wasn’t your cup of tea, seeing the world in a different way helps you grow your critical thinking skills. With all the fake news and conspiracy theories swirling around, you (and we all) seriously need that…

5. It’s good for your brain

Learning any language is wonderful for your brain. It develops new areas of your mind and, in particular, strengthens your natural ability to focus and process information.

Learn Chinese and fire up your brain connections! – Photo by Moritz Kindler

Mandarin Chinese, with its beautiful characters and lack of alphabet? It’s like acid for the brain. In a meowsome, wonderful way. It creates in your brain all those new connections. Purrfect to form and strengthen your brain. Go for it.

For instance, a 2003 study found that people who speak Mandarin Chinese use both temporal lobes of their brains to understand the language.  In contrast, English speakers only use the left temporal lobe. Unlock a whole new temporal lobe!

There are plenty of other reasons for learning Mandarin that are good for your brain:

• It keeps your brain healthy. No neural network degradation for you, good person!
• It helps form good thinking patterns in your brain.
• It develops new areas of your mind and utilizes other parts of your brain.
• Some studies say it even helps with math skills!

What’s not to like?

Related: Why learn Mandarin Chinese, the language of Confucius?

6. Chinese culture and history are still very cool

You can’t visit the huge country that is China at the moment, sure. But China still has an extremely interesting history and culture you can explore from afar and learn more about.

There’s a lot to love in Chinese culture aesthetically. Photo by Sahil Pandita

From a rich culture, which led to some amazing inventions for instance, to epic historical events, there’s a lot to discover. And why not do that in Chinese directly? That’s a great reason to learn Chinese!

Related: 10 amazing inventions you didn’t know were Chinese
All you need to know about Chinese dynasties

If you like the idea of learning more about Chinese history but aren’t into history books or museums, there are many many historical C-dramas, as well as youtubers you can check out! Also, check out Ninchanese where you’ll learn Chinese culture as you learn Chinese!

Related: 8 Vloggers to watch to learn more about Chinese culture

7. Reason to learn Chinese: You gain access to a whole new world of content and culture

There’s a large quantity of high-quality Chinese-language content out there, you just need to know how to find it!

From Music to Games, to Movies, to Art, to books… there are a lot of Chinese-speaking artists to discover.

Related: 30 Chinese celebrities to know about

On TV, Cdramas and Taiwanese dramas have a lot of fans, and rightly so!

Related: 10 popular TV shows to improve your Chinese

Romantic and historical C-dramas get their fair share of fans, and  Chinese Wuxia and XianXia are also two media genres that are very popular.

Related: Platforms to watch Chinese videos.
Films to watch

Music and books

In books, there’s a lot to discover too! From Chinese classics like the JingPing Mei, or… to science fiction novels, China and Chinese-language artists have a lot to offer. Take the time to explore!

If you’re more a fan of video games, lots of great offers there too.

 8. Beautiful language Chinese characters

Mandarin Chinese is an amazing language, and its Chinese characters are endlessly fascinating.

There’s the fact Chinese is the oldest written language in the world, dating back to over 4000 years ago.

There’s the fact there’s no alphabet, and that Chinese characters are usually logical. Most Chinese characters contain components and a phonetic component. There are also many opportunities for art with Chinese characters, especially Chinese calligraphy.

In short, Chinese characters are an excellent reason to learn the Chinese language. At the very least, explore the language!
Chinese characters also enable very intriguing poetry to exist. Ever heard of the poem composed only of the sound “shi”? It has a meaning, of course, and is written using many different characters!

9. [Insert your own reason to learn Chinese]

Here’s a secret. All that matters is that you find pleasure in knowing the language.

Truth be told, you don’t need a specific good reason to keep learning a language. You need yours. All you need is to want to learn it. If the language interests you, you’re golden. No need for a huge, lofty goal. It can be a very small goal. Or even, just the fact you derive pleasure from learning and knowing the language.
So find what motivates you and keep learning! Everyone has their own reason to learn Chinese.
Whatever your reason, we’re here to help you learn Mandarin Chinese! It’s all happening on Ninchanese.

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet, or on your phone with the Android app.

The Nincha Team

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The post 9 meowsome reasons to still learn Chinese even though China is CLOSED appeared first on Ninchanese.