Introduction This HSK 1 reading practice is based on one of the most useful phrases that you’ll use when visiting a Chinese-speaking country. You can choose to read these sentences using traditional or simplified Chinese. You can also turn on or turn off pinyin as needed. Many students don’t start reading much until they reach…
It’s not quite numerology, but Chinese definitely do put a lot of weight on numbers. In this HSK 5 reading practice we’ll take a look at some numbers that are significant in Chinese culture. You may have learned about these numbers before, but your lesson was probably not in Chinese! Congratulations on progressing this far…
This HSK 5 reading is about a common Chinese idiom that you may not have heard before. Try to read the sentences below without pinyin or assistance if possible. If you run into trouble you can hover the word to reveal it’s meaning. You’ll soon find out what it means to “expose the horses foot.”…
There’s no question: If you’re reading this post then you are definitely awesome. Practicing reading when you’re at HSK level 3 is the best way to improve your Chinese. You learn new words while also learning how to use them in context. You repeat characters without drilling yourself to death with flashcards. You learn sentence…
Getting around in China is not always easy. I always say that I love metro systems and I hate taking buses. When I lived in Hangzhou there was only one metro line so buses were usually the only option. I had a friend who would just hop on a bus and ride around until she…
Learn to count using Chinese numbers 1-100. Counting in Chinese is a delightfully simple task. Learning to count to 100 actually only requires you to learn 11 numbers! That’s because you only need to know the number 1-10 and the word for “hundred.” Actually after you learn those 11 words, you can count to 999…
Reading Chinese at a beginner level can take patience and effort, but with the right practice readings you can quickly improve your reading skills. You probably know how to read more Chinese than you realize. There is something powerful about reading sentences and stories in Chinese that helps you jumpstart your language learning. Try reading…
Culturally, Chinese people are not known to express love as often using words as in Western cultures. Even so, there are a number of ways to communicate how you feel in Chinese and they can be totally appropriate to use – especially if you are speaking to a boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse. Instead of just teaching…
Before we get into the Chinese word for Chinese, let’s take a look at what we mean in English. When you say you speak Chinese to someone they may ask if you mean Mandarin or Cantonese. In this post we’re going to be looking at ways to say Chinese in Chinese and all of these…
Although there are currently around 2,000 Chinese last names in use, the top 100 surnames are used by 87% of the population. In fact, the top three Chinese surnames, Li, Wang and Zhang, are also the most common surnames of any in the world. By learning a few of these surnames you will be able…
