247 - 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them

Does handwriting still have a place in modern Chinese learning? Let's explore 8 popular arguments in favour of writing characters by hand, each critically examined to see which ones truly stand up to scrutiny.#learnchinese #handwriting #hanzi #chinesecharactersLink to article on Hacking Chinese: 8 reasons to learn to write Chinese characters by hand: https://www.hackingchinese.com/reasons-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-hand/My best advice on how to learn Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/my-best-advice-on-how-to-learn-chinese-characters/Chinese character learning for all students: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-character-learning-for-all-students/How to get good grades when studying Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/studying-chinese-when-your-grades-matter/How to talk about Chinese characters in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/talk-chinese-characters-chinese/36 samples of Chinese handwriting from students and native speakers: https://www.hackingchinese.com/36-samples-of-chines-handwriting-from-students-and-native-speakers/Learning to read handwritten Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-read-handwritten-chinese/The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/How I learnt Chinese, part 6: Graduate program in Taiwan: https://www.hackingchinese.com/i-learnt-chinese-part-6-graduate-program-taiwan/Learning styles: Use with caution! https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-styles-use-with-caution/The persistence of comprehension (The Hexacoto): https://hexacoto.com/2014/03/12/the-persistence-of-comprehension/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

A great tutor can transform your Chinese learning, but how do you know if a tutor is good? Let's explore the key qualities that make a tutor truly effective!#learnchinese #tutor #teacherLink to article on Hacking Chinese: 7 characteristics of a great Chinese tutor or private teacher: https://www.hackingchinese.com/characteristics-of-a-great-chinese-tutor-or-private-teacher/Take responsibility for your own learning now: https://www.hackingchinese.com/take-responsibility-for-your-own-learning/What your Chinese course will not teach you: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-course-will-not-teach/The Hacking Chinese Podcast: https://www.hackingchinese.com/podcast/The virtues of language exchanges: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-virtues-of-language-exchanges/How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-chinese-tutoring-sessions/Real communication: What it is, why you want it and how to get it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/real-communication-what-it-is-why-you-want-it-and-how-to-get-it/Should you learn to speak Chinese before you learn Chinese characters?: https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-to-speak-chinese-before-you-learn-chinese-characters/How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/Learning Chinese comprehensible input: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-input/Preview every Chinese lesson: https://www.hackingchinese.com/preview-every-chinese-lesson/Time quality and studying Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/time-quality-and-studying-chinese/How to learn Chinese in the long term with intrinsic motivation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-chinese-in-the-long-term-with-intrinsic-motivation/Learn Chinese faster by leaving your comfort zone: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-chinese-faster-leaving-comfort-zone/How to get honest feedback to boost your Chinese speaking and writing: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-art-of-being-corrected/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Having a tutor can be great for learning Chinese, but how much progress you make depends as much on you as on the tutor. Come prepared, stay engaged, and make the most of each session!#learnchinese #tutor #teacher #studentLink to article on Hacking Chinese: How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-chinese-tutoring-sessions/Take responsibility for your own learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/take-responsibility-for-your-own-learning/What your Chinese course will not teach you: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-course-will-not-teach/The virtues of language exchanges: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-virtues-of-language-exchanges/How to get the most out of your Chinese tutoring sessions: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-chinese-tutoring-sessions/Real communication: What it is, why you want it, and how to get it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/real-communication-what-it-is-why-you-want-it-and-how-to-get-it/Learning Chinese comprehensible input: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-input/Preview every Chinese lesson: https://www.hackingchinese.com/preview-every-chinese-lesson/Time quality and studying Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/time-quality-and-studying-chinese/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Believing the wrong things about learning Chinese can waste time and lead you astray. Let's explore eight myths that might be holding you back!#learnchinese #myths #hanzi #pronunciation #studyLink to article on Hacking Chinese: 8 myths about learning Chinese that are holding you back: https://www.hackingchinese.com/myths-about-learning-chinese-that-are-holding-you-back/6 things in Chinese that are harder to learn than they seem: https://www.hackingchinese.com/6-things-in-chinese-that-are-harder-to-learn-than-they-seem/Chinese is possible to learn as an adult: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-might-be-too-lazy-to-learn-chinese-but-youre-not-too-old/Is Chinese difficult to learn? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-chinese-difficult-to-learn/How long have you studied Chinese: 200 years or 58,992 hours? https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-long-have-you-studied-chinese-290-years-or-58-992-hours/How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/Learning Chinese is useful no matter how much or how little you learn: https://www.hackingchinese.com/long-study-chinese-make-useful/Chinese courses won’t teach you everything: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-course-will-not-teach/Using the HSK as a roadmap to learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/using-the-hsk-as-a-roadmap-to-learning-chinese/Should you throw away your Chinese textbook? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-throw-away-your-chinese-textbook/Take responsibility for your own learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/take-responsibility-for-your-own-learning/⁠Immersion at home or why you don’t have to go abroad: https://www.hackingchinese.com/immersion-at-home-or-why-you-dont-have-to-go-abroad/The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners/The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chinese-reading-resources-beginner-intermediate-advanced/You won’t learn Chinese simply by living abroad: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-wont-learn-chinese-simply-by-living-abroad/Love and language: Challenges and opportunities in learning Chinese with a partner.: https://www.hackingchinese.com/language-learning-with-a-chinese-girlfriend-or-boyfriend/The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/The importance of tones is inversely proportional to the predictability of what you say: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-importance-of-tones-is-inversely-proportional-to-the-predictability-of-what-you-say/Tone errors in Mandarin that actually can cause confusion: https://www.hackingchinese.com/tone-errors-in-mandarin-that-actually-can-cause-confusion/What native speakers know and what they don’t: https://www.hackingchinese.com/what-native-speakers-know-and-what-they-dont/Standardised pronunciation in Chinese and why you want it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/standardised-pronunciation-in-chinese-and-why-you-want-it/How to learn Chinese characters as a beginner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-chinese-characters-as-a-beginner/The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/My best advice on how to learn Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/my-best-advice-on-how-to-learn-chinese-characters/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Listening is essential when learning Mandarin, but not all listening situations are the same. By recognising different types of listening, you can improve your chances of successfully navigating spoken Mandarin.#learnchinese #listening #conversations #comprehensionThe best podcasts for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese/The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/Listen more than once: How the replay button can help you learn more Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listen-more-than-once-how-the-replay-button-can-help-you-learn-more-chinese/Listening strategies: Diversify your listening practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listening-strategies-diversify-your-listening-practice/Learning Chinese through audiobooks: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-through-audio-books/Learning Chinese as an introverted student: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-as-an-introverted-student/The virtues of language exchanges: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-virtues-of-language-exchanges/The Input Pyramid: Chinese Listening for Any Situation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-input-pyramid-chinese-listening-for-any-situation/The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/the-fluent-listener-navigating-mandarin-like-a-fish-in-water/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

How do you get started with listening in Mandarin? What makes group conversations so challenging? And is it true that news broadcasts in Chinese are        harder than in other languages?#learnchinese #listening #beginner #news #conversationsChinese listening challenge, June 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-listening-challenge/The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/the-fluent-listener-navigating-mandarin-like-a-fish-in-water/Links for question 1The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese in 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese/Beginner Chinese listening practice: What to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listening-practice-what-to-listen-to-and-how/Links for question 2Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 3: Using what you already know to aid listening comprehension in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-3-using-what-you-already-know-to-aid-listening-comprehension-in-chinese/Links for question Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 6: Why is listening in Chinese so hard?: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-is-listening-in-chinese-so-hard/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Is learning how to learn worth your time, or should you just engage directly with Chinese instead? The answer depends, but the longer your perspective, the more important it becomes to tweak your method!#learnchinese #how-to #progress #hackingchinese #efficiencyLink to written article on Hacking Chinese: Will reading or listening to Hacking Chinese help you learn Mandarin? https://www.hackingchinese.com/will-reading-hacking-chinese-help-you-learn-mandarin/Analyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation’s four strands: https://www.hackingchinese.com/analyse-and-balance-your-chinese-learning-with-paul-nations-four-strands/Cramming vs. spaced repetition: When to use which method to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/cramming-vs-spaced-repetition-when-to-use-which-method-to-learn-chinese/Why spaced repetition software is uniquely well suited to learning Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-spaced-repetition-software-is-uniquely-well-suited-to-learning-chinese-characters/The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/Memory aids and mnemonics to enhance learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/memory-aids-and-mnemonics-to-enhance-learning/Learning Chinese is more like walking a thousand miles than running 100-metre dash: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-is-more-like-walking-a-thousand-miles-than-running-100-metre-dash/You can't learn Chinese characters by rote: https://www.hackingchinese.com/you-cant-learn-chinese-characters-by-rote/Should you learn the names of the strokes in Chinese characters? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-the-names-of-the-strokes-in-chinese-characters/The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/10-best-free-chinese-reading-resources-beginner-intermediate-advanced/The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Zi.Tools is a great free resource for exploring Chinese characters. See what it offers and how you can use it to boost your learning!#learnchinese #chinesecharacters #hanzi #etymology #analysis #dictionaryLink to written article on Hacking Chinese: Zi.Tools: A powerful free resource for exploring Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/zi-tools-a-powerful-free-resource-for-exploring-chinese-characters/Zi.tools 字統网: https://zi.tools/5 levels of understanding Chinese characters: Superficial forms to deep structure: https://www.hackingchinese.com/5-levels-of-understanding-chinese-characters-superficial-forms-to-deep-structure/The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/Outlier Chinese Character Masterclass review: Understand more, learn faster, remember longer: https://www.hackingchinese.com/outlier-chinese-character-masterclass-review-understand-more-learn-faster-remember-longer/Review: The Outlier Dictionary of Chinese Characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/review-the-outlier-linguistics-dictionary-of-chinese-characters-with-discount-code/21 essential dictionaries and corpora for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/21-essential-dictionaries-and-corpora-for-learning-chinese/Chinese character variants and font differences for language learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-character-variants-and-fonts-for-language-learners/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Should you focus on learning many words superficially or few words well? How do you stay motivated when flashcards get boring? And how can you tell if you really know a word?#learnchinese #vocabulary #flashcards #skritter #q&aLink to written article on Hacking Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/student-qa-may-2025-learning-chinese-characters-and-words-with-flashcard-apps/Link to vocabulary challenge: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-vocabulary-challenge/Links to articles mentioned in this episode:Learning Chinese words: When quantity beats quality: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-importance-of-knowing-many-words/Should you learn Chinese vocabulary from lists? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-chinese-vocabulary-from-lists/Which words you should learn and where to find them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/which-words-you-should-learn-in-and-where-to-find-them/How to best use flashcards to learn Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-best-use-flashcards-to-learn-chinese/Do you have to learn to write Chinese characters by hand? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-it-necessary-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-hand/Should you use an efficient method for learning Chinese even if you hate it? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-use-an-efficient-method-for-learning-chinese-even-if-you-hate-it/Are you practising Chinese the right way? Is your method valid? https://www.hackingchinese.com/are-you-practising-chinese-the-right-way/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Tones in Mandarin are tricky, and students face many different kinds of problems. Identifying the type of problem is important for fixing it.#learnchinese #tones #pronunciation #challenges #speaking #listeningLink to article: 7 kinds of tone problems in Mandarin and what to do about them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/7-kinds-tone-problems/Learning tones in Mandarin is not optional: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-tones-in-mandarin-is-not-optional/The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/Learning the third tone in Mandarin Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-third-tone-mandarin-chinese/Learning the second tone in Mandarin Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-second-tone-in-mandarin-chinese/Learning the neutral tone in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-neutral-tone-in-mandarin/How to learn to hear the tones in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-to-hear-the-tones-in-mandarin/Learning to hear the sounds and tones in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-to-hear-the-sounds-tones-in-mandarin/Mimicking native speakers as a way of learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/mimicking-native-speakers-way-learning-chinese/The art of being corrected: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-art-of-being-corrected/Recording yourself to improve your speaking ability: https://www.hackingchinese.com/recording-yourself-to-improve-speaking-ability/The Hacking Chinese pronunciation course: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/mandarin-chinese-pronunciation-course/Free pronunciation lesson available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AMx6A_EMXwI?feature=sharedA smart method to discover problems with tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/a-smart-method-to-discover-problems-with-tones/Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focusing-on-tone-pairs-to-improve-your-mandarin-pronunciation/Free tone pairs sneak peek on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0G1Yp6snKcM?feature=sharedExtending mnemonics for learning Mandarin tones and pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/extending-mnemonics-inspiration-and-insights/Optional and obligatory tone change rules in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/optional-obligatory-tone-change-rules-mandarin/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)