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Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 8 — Advanced C2 (Academic) ›

HSK 8 Grammar Points

HSK 8 grammar represents C2 expert-level mastery — full productive control of every register from colloquial to classical, across specialized domains. At this level, grammar study focuses on the subtle distinctions that mark authentic native writing, expert-level academic discourse, and the active use of classical structures in modern contexts. 1. Classical Grammar in Full Production At HSK 8, learners can produce (not just recognize) classical grammar in appropriate modern contexts...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 9 — Advanced C2 (Master) ›

HSK 9 Grammar Points

HSK 9 represents the pinnacle of Chinese language mastery — C2+ / near-native proficiency. At this level, grammar study means full internalization of classical Chinese (文言文 wényán wén), the ability to produce literary and rhetorical prose, and authentic command of every register. The "grammar points" at this level are not rules to learn but deep structures to internalize through extensive reading and production. 1. Classical Chinese (文言文) Core Grammar 1.1...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 2 — Elementary A1+ ›

HSK 2 Grammar Points

HSK 2 grammar covers approximately 55 core patterns needed to handle everyday situations with greater fluency. Building on HSK 1 structures, this level introduces comparisons, aspect markers, complements, and a wider range of particles. 1. Comparisons 1.1 比 (bǐ) Comparisons — "A is more … than B" The standard comparison structure uses 比 between the two items being compared. Pattern Example English A + 比 + B + Adj 他比我高。...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 3 — Elementary A2 ›

HSK 3 Grammar Points

HSK 3 grammar covers approximately 70 core patterns for confident intermediate communication. This level introduces the 把 construction, 被 passive, result/direction/degree/potential complements, and a wider range of complex sentence structures. 1. The 把 (bǎ) Construction 把 preposition moves the object before the verb, emphasizing the disposal, transformation, or placement of the object. 1.1 Core 把 Pattern Pattern Example English S + 把 + O + V + Result 我把书放在桌子上了。 I...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 5 — Intermediate B2 ›

HSK 5 Grammar Points

HSK 5 grammar covers approximately 85 core patterns for advanced B2-level communication, with a strong focus on formal written registers, complex clause structures, academic discourse connectives, and nuanced modal expressions. 1. Formal Written Connectives 1.1 Causation and Result (Formal) Pattern Register Example English 因此 formal 市场不稳定，因此投资者谨慎。 The market is unstable; therefore investors are cautious. 从而 written 提高效率，从而降低成本。 Improve efficiency, thereby reducing costs. 以致/致使 written 管理不当，以致项目失败。 Poor management led to the...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 7 — Advanced C2 ›

HSK 7 Grammar Points

HSK 7 grammar represents C1+ mastery — the ability to operate fluently in specialized academic, professional, literary, and formal registers. This level focuses on classical grammar integration, academic discourse conventions, specialized field language, and high-register rhetorical structures. 1. Classical Grammar in Academic Modern Chinese 1.1 Four-Character Constructions (四字格 sì zì gé) Four-character structures are the backbone of formal Chinese prose. They appear in academic writing, journalism, political speeches, and literature....

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 4 — Intermediate B1 ›

HSK 4 Grammar Points

HSK 4 grammar covers approximately 80 core patterns for confident upper-intermediate communication. This level focuses on complex comparisons, formal registers, advanced conditional structures, topic-comment sentences, and nuanced aspect usage. 1. Advanced Comparisons 1.1 比 with Specific Difference Pattern Example English A + 比 + B + Adj + 一点儿他比我高一点儿。 He is a little taller than me. A + 比 + B + Adj + 得多她比他聪明得多。 She is much...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 6 — Intermediate C1 ›

HSK 6 Grammar Points

HSK 6 grammar covers the patterns needed for C1-level proficiency — near-native comprehension and production of complex, formal, analytical, literary, and rhetorical Chinese. This level integrates classical grammar fossils, advanced subordination, formal registers, and sophisticated discourse organization. 1. Classical Chinese Grammar Fossils in Modern Mandarin Modern written Chinese preserves many classical structures, especially in formal and literary contexts. 1.1 之 (zhī) — Classical Possessive / Nominalization Marker Function Example English...

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How to Learn Chinese

The Learning Order Follow this sequence to avoid the most common pitfalls: Stage 1 — Foundation (0–150 hours, A1) Pinyin (2–4 weeks) — Learn all initials, finals, spelling rules. Master this completely before moving on. Use Yoyo Chinese's pinyin series. 4 tones (concurrent with pinyin) — Practice until tone production is automatic. Tone errors are the biggest barrier to being understood. Basic vocabulary + characters together — Learn the first...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels ›

HSK 7 — Advanced C2

HSK 7 is the entry point to the Advanced band (HSK 7–9). All three levels share the same vocabulary pool of 10,877 cumulative words and the same character and grammar requirements — they are differentiated by the depth, precision, and complexity of tasks. HSK 7 targets advanced-level professional users: academics, translators, journalists, diplomats, and others who use Chinese at a high level in their work. Expect 3,000+ total study hours...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Family & Relationships Vocabulary

Family Members (家庭成员 jiātíng chéngyuán) Note on Chinese address terms: Chinese distinguishes between paternal and maternal relatives. Your father's parents are 爷爷/奶奶 (yéye/nǎinai), while your mother's parents are 外公/外婆 (wàigōng/wàipó). Siblings are also addressed differently based on relative age: 哥哥 (older brother) vs 弟弟 (younger brother). Immediate Family (直系亲属 zhíxì qīnshǔ) Chinese Pinyin English Example Sentence HSK 爸爸 bàba father / dad 我爸爸是老师。My dad is a teacher. 1 妈妈 māma...

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Learn Chinese (Mandarin)

Mandarin Chinese is spoken by ~1.1 billion native speakers. This guide covers everything from zero to C2 — HSK vocabulary, grammar patterns, all six skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, tones, characters), and the best apps, textbooks, and resources. Quick Start (Week 1) Install Pleco — the essential Chinese dictionary app (free, iOS/Android) Learn Pinyin — the romanization system; 2–4 weeks of focused study Master the 4 tones — non-negotiable from...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Travel Vocabulary

Transportation (交通工具 jiāotōng gōngjù) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 飞机 fēijī airplane 我坐飞机去北京。I fly to Beijing. 2 机场 jīchǎng airport 首都机场离市区很远。The Capital Airport is far from downtown. 3 火车 huǒchē train 坐火车可以看风景。You can see the scenery by train. 1 高铁 gāotiě high-speed rail (HSR) 高铁比飞机方便。The high-speed train is more convenient than flying. — 动车 dòngchē high-speed EMU train 动车票比高铁便宜一点。EMU train tickets are a bit cheaper than HSR. — 地铁 dìtiě...

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Chinese Grammar Patterns

Grammar patterns organized by CEFR level. Source: Chinese Grammar Wiki by AllSet Learning. Pattern Counts by Level Level Patterns Cumulative A1 40 40 A2 99 139 B1 143 282 B2 154 436 C1 69+ 505+ Total 572 572 Core Grammar Concepts Word Order Default SVO (Subject–Verb–Object), but time and place go before the verb: English Wrong (direct translation) Correct Mandarin I went to Beijing yesterday. 我去了北京昨天。我昨天去了北京。 She reads at...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Body & Health Vocabulary

Head & Face (头部 tóubù) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 头 tóu head 我头疼。I have a headache. 2 脸 liǎn face 你的脸很红。Your face is very red. 3 头发 tóufa hair 她的头发很长。Her hair is very long. 2 眼睛 yǎnjing eyes 她有一双大眼睛。She has a pair of big eyes. 2 耳朵 ěrduǒ ears 兔子的耳朵很长。Rabbits have long ears. 2 鼻子 bízi nose 他的鼻子很高。He has a high nose bridge. 2 嘴 zuǐ mouth 吃东西之前不要张嘴说话。Don't talk...

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15 Common Mistakes

These are the 15 most common errors English speakers make when learning Mandarin. Most can be avoided entirely if you know about them from day 1. Each entry shows the error, a wrong example, the correct form, and why it matters. 1. Ignoring Tones Entirely The error: Treating tones as optional accent marks that you will "get to later." Producing all syllables with a flat or random pitch. ❌ Saying...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels ›

HSK 6 — Intermediate C1

HSK 6 is the top of the Intermediate band and equivalent to CEFR C1 — Advanced. With over 5,000 words, you can express yourself fluently and spontaneously, use language flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes, and understand complex texts including implicit meaning. You are also expected to produce extended, well-structured written Chinese. Expect 1,800–2,500 total study hours from zero. Level Overview Item Count Vocabulary (cumulative) 5,397 words Recognition characters...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Time Vocabulary

Days Relative to Today (相对日期 xiāngduì rìqī) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 今天 jīntiān today 今天是星期三。Today is Wednesday. 1 明天 míngtiān tomorrow 明天见！See you tomorrow! 1 昨天 zuótiān yesterday 昨天我很累。I was very tired yesterday. 1 后天 hòutiān day after tomorrow 后天开始上课。Classes start the day after tomorrow. 2 前天 qiántiān day before yesterday 前天我去看了电影。I went to see a movie the day before yesterday. 2 大后天 dàhòutiān three days from now 大后天是他的生日。His...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Grammar Patterns ›

C1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 6)

69+ grammar patterns at HSK 6 / CEFR C1 level — advanced pre-native structures. # Pattern Structure Example ZH Pinyin English Note 1 Classical 于 (in/at/toward) V + 于 + Place/Time/Object 生于北京；有益于健康 shēng yú Běijīng; yǒuyì yú jiànkāng born in Beijing; beneficial to health Formal/literary replacement for 在/对/给 2 所 + V nominalization 所 + V (+ 的 + N) 他所说的话 tā suǒ shuō de huà the words he said...

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214 Kangxi Radicals

The 214 Kangxi radicals (康熙部首, Kāngxī bùshǒu) are the indexing system for Chinese characters, established in the 1716 Kangxi Dictionary. Every character is classified under one radical. Why Learn Radicals Dictionary lookup — Traditional method for looking up characters without knowing their pronunciation Pattern recognition — Group ~50,000 characters into 214 families Meaning hints — Semantic radicals indicate the meaning category of a character Memory scaffold — Learn 214 units...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels ›

HSK 3 — Elementary A2

HSK 3 marks the completion of the Elementary band. With 997 cumulative words you can handle most routine social situations — describing experiences, giving simple opinions, talking about school and work — and be understood by patient native speakers. Speaking is tested for the first time at this level. Expect 300–600 total study hours from zero. Level Overview Item Count Vocabulary (cumulative) 997 words Recognition characters 655 Writing characters 250...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 3 — Elementary A2 ›

HSK 3 Vocabulary (499 New Words)

HSK 3 introduces 499 new words on top of the HSK 1 and HSK 2 base, bringing the cumulative total to 997. At this level you can describe experiences, express opinions, discuss school and work, and handle most routine social situations. Below is a comprehensive reference organized by category. Verbs — Action & Motion (动作动词) Chinese Pinyin English POS Example 搬 bān to move (objects or residence) v 他搬到新家了。He moved...

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Chinese Vocabulary

Vocabulary organized by frequency corpus, HSK level, and thematic topic. Coverage List Words Source Frequency Top 100 100 SUBTLEX-CH corpus Frequency Top 500 500 SUBTLEX-CH corpus Frequency Top 3000 3,000 SUBTLEX-CH corpus HSK 1 (A1) 299 HSK 3.0 official HSK 1–3 (A1–A2) 997 HSK 3.0 official HSK 1–6 (A1–C1) 5,397 HSK 3.0 official HSK 1–9 (A1–C2) 10,877 HSK 3.0 official → See HSK vocabulary by level Thematic Vocabulary Topic Key...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Skills ›

Tones

Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language : the pitch contour (shape of the voice pitch over a syllable) determines meaning. The same sequence of sounds, spoken with a different pitch pattern, is a completely different word. There are four tones plus a neutral tone (sometimes called the fifth tone). Getting tones right from day one is essential. Bad tone habits are extremely difficult to correct after 6–12 months of practice....

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A1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 1–2)

40 grammar patterns at HSK 1–2 / CEFR A1 level. # Pattern Structure Example ZH Pinyin English Note 1 是 copula S + 是 + N 我是学生。 Wǒ shì xuésheng. I am a student. Only before nouns, NOT adjectives 2 Adjective predicate S + 很/太/真 + Adj 她很高。 Tā hěn gāo. She is tall. No 是 needed; bare adj implies comparison 3 有 possession S + 有 + Object 我有一本书。...

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HSK 2 — Elementary A1+

HSK 2 builds directly on HSK 1, pushing from 299 to 498 cumulative words. You can now handle everyday conversations — shopping, directions, making plans, talking about the past — and start expressing simple opinions. Expect 150–300 total study hours from zero. Level Overview Item Count Vocabulary (cumulative) 498 words Recognition characters 371 Writing characters 100 (shared with HSK 1) Grammar points 141 CEFR equivalent A1+ Estimated study hours 150–300...

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Emotions & Feelings Vocabulary

Basic Emotions (基本情绪 jīběn qíngxù) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 高兴 gāoxìng happy / glad 见到你我很高兴！I'm so glad to see you! 1 开心 kāixīn happy / joyful 我很开心！I'm very happy! 2 快乐 kuàilè happy / joyful (more lasting) 祝你生日快乐！Happy Birthday! 2 难过 nánguò sad / upset 他听到这个消息很难过。He was very sad to hear the news. 3 伤心 shāngxīn heartbroken / sad 她哭了，很伤心。She cried, very heartbroken. 3 生气 shēngqì angry 别生气了！Don't be...

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HSK 9 — Advanced C2 (Master)

HSK 9 is the highest level in the HSK 3.0 system — the capstone of the Advanced band. It draws from the same 10,877-word pool as HSK 7 and 8, but tasks demand the highest degree of linguistic precision, cultural depth, and stylistic mastery. A passing HSK 9 candidate can operate in Chinese at a level comparable to an educated native speaker: reading literary and classical texts, producing polished formal...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Grammar Patterns ›

A2 Grammar Patterns (HSK 3)

99 grammar patterns at HSK 3 / CEFR A2 level. The 50 most important are listed below. # Pattern Structure Example ZH Pinyin English Note 1 比 comparison A + 比 + B + Adj 他比我高。 Tā bǐ wǒ gāo. He is taller than me. No 更 needed; add by how much after Adj 2 没有 comparison A + 没有 + B + Adj 我没有他高。 Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo. I'm...

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B1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 4)

143 grammar patterns at HSK 4 / CEFR B1 level. The 60 most important are listed below. # Pattern Structure Example ZH Pinyin English Note 1 不但…而且不但 + S1, 而且 + S2 他不但聪明，而且努力。 Tā bùdàn cōngmíng, érqiě nǔlì. He is not only smart but also hardworking. Adds extra positive quality 2 既然…就既然 + fact, 就 + conclusion 既然来了，就好好玩吧。 Jìrán lái le, jiù hǎohǎo wán ba. Since you're here,...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Food & Drink Vocabulary

Staples & Grains (主食 zhǔshí) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 米饭 mǐfàn cooked rice 我想吃米饭。I want to eat rice. 1 面条 miàntiáo noodles 兰州拉面很有名。Lanzhou pulled noodles are famous. 2 面包 miànbāo bread 早上我吃面包。I eat bread in the morning. 1 包子 bāozi steamed stuffed bun 肉包子很好吃。Meat buns are delicious. — 饺子 jiǎozi dumplings (boiled) 过年要吃饺子。We eat dumplings during New Year. 2 馒头 mántou plain steamed bun 北方人喜欢吃馒头。Northerners like to eat steamed...

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HSK 8 — Advanced C2 (Academic)

HSK 8 is the second level of the Advanced band (HSK 7–9). It draws from the same vocabulary pool of 10,877 words as HSK 7 and 9, but focuses specifically on academic and professional register : complex analysis, formal argumentation, and professional-level reading and writing in specialized domains such as law, science, economics, and medicine. Tasks are more abstract and analytically demanding than HSK 7. Expect 3,500–5,000+ total study hours...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels ›

HSK 4 — Intermediate B1

HSK 4 is the gateway to the Intermediate band and the CEFR B1 threshold. With nearly 2,000 cumulative words and 332 grammar points, you can participate in conversations on a wide range of topics, express opinions with reasoning, understand the main points of standard speech, and produce simple connected text. Written Hanzi production is tested for the first time. Expect 600–1,200 total study hours from zero. Level Overview Item Count...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary ›

Chinese Vocabulary by Frequency

Frequency lists based on the SUBTLEX-CH corpus (Cai & Brysbaert 2010), derived from ~33 million words of Chinese subtitle text. Coverage Statistics List Words Text Coverage Top 100 words 100 ~65% of everyday text Top 500 words 500 ~75% of conversation Top 1,000 characters 1,000 ~90% of common written text Top 3,000 words 3,000 ~90% of standard modern text Top 10,000 words 10,000 ~99%+ of modern text Key insight :...

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HSK 2.0 vs HSK 3.0 Comparison

Standards Timeline Event Date HSK 2.0 introduced 2010 HSK 3.0 announced September 2021 HSK 3.0 available for testing March 2022 HSK 2.0 final exam date June 30, 2026 HSK 3.0 becomes the only standard July 1, 2026 Side-by-Side Level Comparison HSK 2.0 Vocab CEFR ↔ HSK 3.0 Vocab (cumul.) CEFR HSK 1 150 A1 ≈ HSK 1 299 A1 HSK 2 300 A2 ≈ HSK 2 498 A1+ HSK 3...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 1 — Elementary A1 ›

HSK 1 Grammar Points

HSK 1 grammar covers approximately 66 core patterns needed for basic communication. These are the building blocks of all Chinese sentences. 1. Basic Sentence Structures 1.1 Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) — The Default Word Order Chinese follows a strict Subject + Verb + Object order. Pattern Example English S + V + O 我吃米饭。 I eat rice. S + V + O 她看书。 She reads a book. S + V + O...

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Pinyin

Pinyin (拼音, pīnyīn, literally "spell sound") is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese (Putonghua). It was developed in the 1950s and adopted by the People's Republic of China in 1958. Pinyin uses the Latin alphabet plus four diacritic marks for tones, and one special letter (ü). Pinyin is how Chinese is typed on computers and phones, how words appear in dictionaries, and how children in China learn to read...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Skills ›

Listening

Listening is widely considered the hardest skill for Mandarin learners. Unlike European languages where you can often piece together meaning from familiar word roots, Mandarin listening requires your brain to simultaneously decode unfamiliar sounds, tonal distinctions, and compressed connected speech — all at native speed. Why Listening Is Hard for Mandarin Learners Tones at native speed. In slow, isolated speech, a learner can distinguish 妈 (mā) from 马 (mǎ). At...

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Thematic Vocabulary

Vocabulary grouped by real-world topic. Each list includes the most important words for that domain at HSK 1–5 level, with pinyin and examples. Topic HSK Range Key Words Family & Relationships HSK 1–2 爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 儿子, 女儿, 朋友 Numbers & Time HSK 1 年月日, 星期, 点钟, 分钟, 前天, 后天 Food & Drink HSK 1–3 吃, 喝, 饭, 面条, 饺子, 茶, 咖啡 Transport & Travel HSK 2–3 飞机, 火车,...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Grammar Patterns ›

B2 Grammar Patterns (HSK 5)

154 grammar patterns at HSK 5 / CEFR B2 level. The 60 most important are listed below. # Pattern Structure Example ZH Pinyin English Note 1 不仅…还/而且 (formal) 不仅 + S1, 还/而且 + S2 不仅如此，还需要更多努力。 Bùjǐn rúcǐ, hái xūyào gèng duō nǔlì. Not only that, but more effort is also needed. More formal than 不但…而且 2 反而 on the contrary S + 不但不 + V1, 反而 + V2 他不但不道歉，反而骂我。 Tā...

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HSK 5 — Intermediate B2

HSK 5 corresponds to CEFR B2 — upper-intermediate. With 3,597 cumulative words you can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, interact with a degree of fluency, and read newspaper articles and professional content with dictionary support. Translation is tested for the first time. Expect 1,200–1,800 total study hours from zero. Level Overview Item Count Vocabulary (cumulative) 3,597 words Recognition characters 1,527 Writing characters...

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Chinese Grammar

Chinese grammar differs from English in ways that require deliberate re-learning, not translation. Key Differences from English Feature English Chinese Verb conjugation (tense) Yes No — aspect markers instead Subject-verb agreement Yes No Plural marking Yes (-s) No Articles (a/the) Yes No Relative clauses After noun Before noun Time/place placement After verb Before verb Adjective as predicate Needs "to be" Direct: 她很高 (She [is] tall) Measure words No Mandatory Topic...

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Spaced Repetition (SRS)

Spaced Repetition Systems (SRS) are the single highest-ROI study habit for Mandarin vocabulary. 15–20 minutes of consistent Anki practice daily outperforms hours of unfocused re-reading or passive review. What SRS Is and Why It Works The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve (1885) describes how memory decays exponentially after initial learning. Without review, you forget ~70% of new material within 24 hours and ~90% within a week. SRS exploits the spacing effect :...

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Speaking

Speaking Mandarin well requires integrating four distinct systems simultaneously: tones, initials, finals, and rhythm. Unlike European languages where pronunciation errors are easily forgiven, Mandarin tonal errors can make speech unintelligible — the same syllable with the wrong tone is simply a different word. The Four Pillars of Chinese Pronunciation 1. Tones Mandarin has four tones plus a neutral (unstressed) tone: Tone Mark Shape Example 1st tone ā High, flat 妈...

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Skills

Mandarin Chinese has six core skill areas. Unlike European languages, three of them — Tones, Pinyin, and Hanzi — are foundational prerequisites that English speakers must explicitly study. The rest (Grammar, Listening, Speaking) develop more naturally through input and practice but have their own challenges. The Six Skills at a Glance Skill Description Difficulty Page Tones Mandarin uses 4 tones + a neutral tone. Same syllable, different pitch = different...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 1 — Elementary A1 ›

HSK 1 Vocabulary (299 Words)

HSK 1 comprises 299 words (HSK 3.0 standard). Mastering these enables basic greetings and survival communication. Below is a comprehensive list organized by category, with all tone marks. Pronouns (代词 dàicí) Chinese Pinyin English POS Example 我 wǒ I / me pron 我是学生。I am a student. 你 nǐ you (singular) pron 你好！Hello! 您 nín you (polite) pron 您贵姓？May I ask your surname? 他 tā he / him pron 他是我朋友。He is...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels › HSK 2 — Elementary A1+ ›

HSK 2 Vocabulary (New Words)

HSK 2 adds approximately 200 new words to the HSK 1 base, for a cumulative total of 498 words. At this level, learners can handle routine daily conversations. Below are the most important additions organized by category. Core New Vocabulary (核心新词 héxīn xīn cí) A–C Chinese Pinyin English POS Example 啊 a ah / oh (exclamation) part 啊，原来如此！Ah, I see! 吧 ba suggestion/assumption particle part 你是王老师吧？You must be Teacher Wang?...

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Learning Roadmap

This roadmap covers the full arc from zero to C2 Mandarin. Each phase has concrete milestones, recommended resources, and realistic time estimates based on 10 hours of study per week. Phase 1: Foundation (0–3 months, A1) Goal: Pinyin mastery, all 4 tones, 299 HSK 1 vocabulary words, core grammar skeleton. What to Study Pinyin system (weeks 1–2) — Every initial (21), every final (36), all tone marks. Use Yoyo Chinese's...

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Technology Vocabulary

Devices (设备 shèbèi) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 手机 shǒujī mobile phone / smartphone 我的手机没电了。My phone is out of battery. 2 电脑 diànnǎo computer 这台电脑运行很快。This computer runs very fast. 2 平板电脑 pínbǎn diànnǎo tablet computer 孩子用平板电脑学习。The child uses a tablet to study. — 笔记本电脑 bǐjìběn diànnǎo laptop 我带着笔记本电脑出差。I take my laptop on business trips. — 耳机 ěrjī earphones / headphones 我用耳机听音乐。I use headphones to listen to music. — 充电器 chōngdiànqì...

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Example Sentences

Example sentences are the most effective way to learn both grammar and vocabulary simultaneously. A single well-chosen sentence teaches word meaning, grammatical context, tonal environment, and natural usage all at once. Grammar rules are generalizations — sentences are the data. How to Use This Section By grammar pattern. Each major pattern has a dedicated page with 20–50 examples at increasing complexity. Use these when you encounter a pattern you do...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › HSK Levels ›

HSK 1 — Elementary A1

HSK 1 is the entry point to Mandarin Chinese. At this level you can handle basic greetings, introduce yourself, ask simple questions, and understand very short, clear speech or text on familiar topics. It corresponds to roughly 75–150 hours of study for an adult English speaker. Level Overview Item Count Vocabulary (cumulative) 299 words Recognition characters 246 Writing characters 100 (shared with HSK 2) Grammar points 66 CEFR equivalent A1...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Chinese Vocabulary › Thematic Vocabulary ›

Work & Career Vocabulary

General Work Terms (工作词汇 gōngzuò cíhuì) Chinese Pinyin English Example HSK 工作 gōngzuò work / job 你是做什么工作的？What do you do for work? 1 职业 zhíyè profession / occupation 你的职业是什么？What is your profession? 3 职位 zhíwèi position / job title 他的职位是高级工程师。His title is Senior Engineer. — 上班 shàngbān to go to work / be at work 我每天八点上班。I start work at 8 every day. 2 下班 xiàbān to get off work 你几点下班？What...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) › Skills ›

Hanzi (Characters)

Hanzi (汉字, hànzì) — Chinese characters — are the writing system of Chinese. Unlike alphabets, which map symbols to sounds, Chinese characters are logographic: each character represents a morpheme (a meaningful unit), with pronunciation encoded separately (sometimes within the character itself, sometimes not at all). Chinese is the only major living writing system that is logographic. Learning it requires explicit study in a way that learning, say, Spanish script does...

Language Learning › Learn Chinese (Mandarin) ›

HSK Levels

HSK (汉语水平考试, Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is the official Mandarin Chinese proficiency test, administered by the Chinese International Chinese Education Foundation (CIEF/Hanban). Standards Timeline HSK 2.0 (2010–June 2026): 6 levels, 5,000 cumulative words HSK 3.0 (July 2026+): 9 levels, ~11,092 cumulative words — the current standard Both standards reference the same CEFR scale; see HSK 2.0 vs 3.0 for direct comparison. HSK 3.0 — All 9 Levels Level Vocab (cumul.) Recog....

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HSK 8 Grammar Points

HSK 9 Grammar Points

HSK 2 Grammar Points

HSK 3 Grammar Points

HSK 5 Grammar Points

HSK 7 Grammar Points

HSK 4 Grammar Points

HSK 6 Grammar Points

How to Learn Chinese

HSK 7 — Advanced C2

Family & Relationships Vocabulary

Learn Chinese (Mandarin)

Travel Vocabulary

Chinese Grammar Patterns

Body & Health Vocabulary

15 Common Mistakes

HSK 6 — Intermediate C1

Time Vocabulary

C1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 6)

214 Kangxi Radicals

HSK 3 — Elementary A2

HSK 3 Vocabulary (499 New Words)

Chinese Vocabulary

Tones

A1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 1–2)

HSK 2 — Elementary A1+

Emotions & Feelings Vocabulary

HSK 9 — Advanced C2 (Master)

A2 Grammar Patterns (HSK 3)

B1 Grammar Patterns (HSK 4)

Food & Drink Vocabulary

HSK 8 — Advanced C2 (Academic)

HSK 4 — Intermediate B1

Chinese Vocabulary by Frequency

HSK 2.0 vs HSK 3.0 Comparison

HSK 1 Grammar Points

Pinyin

Listening

Thematic Vocabulary

B2 Grammar Patterns (HSK 5)

HSK 5 — Intermediate B2

Chinese Grammar

Spaced Repetition (SRS)

Speaking

Skills

HSK 1 Vocabulary (299 Words)

HSK 2 Vocabulary (New Words)

Learning Roadmap

Technology Vocabulary

Example Sentences

HSK 1 — Elementary A1

Work & Career Vocabulary

Hanzi (Characters)

HSK Levels