Month: July 2026

A poll I did a while ago showed that listening ability was the skill most learners struggled with. This is not obvious looking at Mandarin from the...

Overnight Train Customer Experience and Etiquette Pointers China Train Ticket Booking China...

New HSK 3-6 Changes: Written & Spoken Exams Combined (Update 2022) HSK made the news again! This time, it’s not about the revised word lists...

Joyful Moments of the 2024 Annual Dinner at That’s Mandarin Last week, our teams in Shanghai and Beijing gathered together for the annual dinner to...

5 Ways to Say How Are You in Chinese 5 Ways to Say How Are You in ChineseMay 26, 20255 Ways to Ask How Are You in Chinese and Start a...

Listen to the recording and put the following pictures in the correct order. (The recording will be repeated three...

5 Most Helpful Chinese Phrases for Adoptive Parents <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Want to improve the way you learn characters? Want to feel the power of learning with others? It’s time for. …the 2014 sensible Chinese character...

The question of how long I have studied Chinese has followed me almost from day one. I have been asked this question a lot, I have asked others the...

Kunming Weather in May Weather: It is warm during the day and cool at night. This is good...

Green Lake Park If you would like to enjoy a leisurely stroll or want to see daily life in...

10 Fun Facts Every Tourist Should Know About Confucius Confucius, China's most famous...

Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an: Why We Don't Recommend Visiting It The Shaanxi History Museum...

How to Plan a Shanghai–Suzhou Tour Shanghai is a large city with the top economic aggregate...

Image source: sxc.hu/profile/amiroff In previous articles we have already looked at two kinds of passive listening (the first article was about...

We’re now a few weeks into 2021 and it’s time to summarise 2020 here on Hacking Chinese. Last year was a bit different, because we also celebrated...

How Was the Great Wall Defended The Great Wall of China was built on the borders of the land...

10 Top Things to Do in Xiamen The coastal city of Xiamen, located in China's Fujian province,...

6-Day Harbin and Mt.Changbai Ski Resort Tour Spend Your Christmas/New Year at Changbaishan Ski...

Victoria Jenna Cruise Victoria Jenna is a super five-star cruise line and the most popular...

Recently, I came across an English blogger living in China who shared her frustration about missing out on a lot of gossip due to her poor Chinese...

How to Address Anyone You Meet in China <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

5 Reasons Why You Would Love Living in Chinese Cities <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

As Infants, we don’t yet rely on categories to make sense of the world; everything is a glorious mess. When we engage with our first language, we...

Suzhou Transport - How to Get To and Around the City Suzhou, the historic garden paradise, is...

The Top 10 FAQs About the Great Wall 1. Can you really see the Great Wall from Outer...

Yangguan Pass Yangguan (Yang Pass) was one of the two important western passes (the other being...

Dujiangyan Panda Base — Panda Keeper Program Except for downtown Chengdu, the nearby Dujiangyan...

How to Process Your First China Train Journey China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train...

Xinjiang Weather in May: a Good Time to Visit The weather in Xinjiang in May is warm and...

I only endorse software, books and other websites when I think that they are truly excellent in some regard. I’m always hesitant to review what...

In this article, I will share the best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced students. I have spent years...

Tibet Weather in June: What to Do and Travel Tips June is one of the best months to visit...

Top Things to Do in Chengdu Chengdu is one of the historic cities in China as well as the...

Zhangjiajie Weather in March 2026: Shoulder Season Tips March marks a transition into spring in...

Yamdrok Lake Travel Guide: Best Views, Itineraries & Tips Yamdrok Lake (or Yamdrok Yumtso)...

Planning a 3-Day Tour of Hong Kong Hong Kong is an internationally famous travel city with a...

Thank you for contacting us - China Highlights 1. Receive a reply within 24h. 2....

This week’s podcast episode is a reader and listener Q&A, where I answer three questions about listening in Chinese. This time, I’m answering...

Western China Food - Xinjiang, Tibetan Cuisines Western China is mainly Xinjiang...

6-Day Chongqing and Chengdu Tour with Wulong and Dazu Vibrant Cities and Beyond In 2025,...

China Adoption Heritage Tours As one of China's largest and most successful online tour...

Jinan-Qingdao High-Speed Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Comparing 二 (Èr) and 两 (Liǎng) Comparing “èr” and “liǎng” can be confusing at first. How do you tell the difference between二 (èr) and 两...

Dec 13 | Christmas Party at That’s Mandarin Come and enjoy Chirstmas dinner and meet new friends at our Christmas Party on Friday, December 13,...

Most people agree that quantity is very important for improving listening ability (immersion, in other words). The previous article in this series...

10 Facts about Puyi You Didn't Know Puyi was the last emperor of China. His life was full of...

Tianjin-Hangzhou Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Guiyang to Guangzhou High-Speed Train China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Shanghai-Chengdu Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

This is what I read when I want to read something familiar that never ends. I’ve read about 4000 pages so far, still twice that to go. It’s the...

Guangzhou - Fuzhou Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Guangzhou-Suzhou Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Dongtai Road Antique Market Dongtai Road Antique Market, located in Dongtai Road in the Luwan...

Private Transfer Between Beijing Airport (Train Station) and Your Hotel Highlights...

Chinese Phrase of the Day Challenge (WEEK 15) <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

The Top 10 Careers for Foreigners in China (Expat Jobs) As China is rapidly becoming a...

25-Day Beijing, Xian, Zhangye, Xining, Lhasa, Shangri-La, Lijiang, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and Guilin...

Beiguanfang Hutong - My Favorite Hutong in Beijing Hutong refers to a type of alley that...

Shudu Lake Shudu Lake (also known as Shu Dugang Lake) is in the north-east of Shangri-La County...

Hacking Chinese Challenges is about building language skills through daily practice and friendly competition. By focusing on one specific area of...

Horses' Horoscope 2026

How to Plan a Trip to China and South Korea Planning a trip to China and South Korea could be...

Hong Kong Apps: The Top 10 for Travelers/Expats The increasing use of smartphones and apps...

March 27 | Mahjong Night Are you in Shanghai or Beijing on Thursday, March 27, 2025? Come and learn how to play Mahjong at our Mahjong Night!EVENT...

Tī zú qiú 踢足球 Kick a soccer ball / Play soccer Dǎ lán qiú 打篮球 Play basketball Dǎ yǔ máo qiú 打羽毛球 Play badminton Dǎ pīng pāng qiú 打乒乓球...

Preparing for the HSK 1 exam is an exciting journey into the world of Mandarin Chinese. This foundational test assesses your ability to understand...

Chinese Batik: Wax Printing Wax printing, also known as batik, is one of the three ancient...

Dali Top 10 Attractions and TopThings to Do Dali has breathtaking natural scenery and is a...

Cost of Living in Chengdu Cost of Living in ChengduMay 19, 2025Cost of Living in ChengduChengdu, the vibrant capital of Sichuan Province, is...

A language is a structured system used for communication. This sounds obvious, but focusing on communication when learning Chinese is surprisingly...

Image credit: Public Record Office Victoria Reading unfamiliar text aloud in any language is a complicated process and is generally much harder...

Chinese Food Tours Chinese food with its variety and complexity is undoubtedly one of the...

Chengdu Weather in November 2026: What to See and Travel Tips Weather: November is a bit chilly...

Yellow River (Huang He River): World's Muddiest River The Yellow River (Huang He in Mandarin or...

Top 10 Things to Do in Qinghai Qinghai is definitely a great destination for people who love...

How to Plan a Trip to Beijing and Guilin (2026) Beijing and Guilin are must-visit cities for...

Nanjing-Huangshan Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

8-Day Guangzhou and Chaoshan Highlights Tour A Canvas of Heritage and Horizon This 8-day...

Top 5 Personality Traits of Chinese People | That’s Mandarin Top 5 Personality Traits of Chinese People | That’s MandarinMar 10, 20255 Common...

If you’ve ever been part of a Chinese group chat, sat through a tense dinner conversation, or watched a viral drama on Tiktok, you’ve probably come...

Expanding vocabulary beyond everyday language can be challenging. The problem is that because these words aren’t used in daily conversations very...

How to Plan a Trip to Harbin: Ice Festival and Itinerary Ideas World-renowned for its Ice and...

One-Day Lantau Island and Giant Buddha Tour Lantau Island and Giant Buddha Tour As the...

Best YouTube Channels for Learning Mandarin Chinese Learning Mandarin Chinese, one of the world’s most spoken languages, has become increasingly...

Kāi xīn 开心 Happy Hài pà 害怕 Scared Kùn le 困了 Sleepy È le 饿了 Hungry Kě le 渴了 Thirsty Lèi le 累了 Tired If you consider having your kid...

5 Essential Chinese New Year Dishes <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Dogs' Horoscope 2025

The Best and the Worst Times to Visit Taiwan The best times are between fall and winter...

4-Day Shanghai and Its Neighbors Tour by High Speed Train Shanghai and Its Neighbors Tour by...

Top 4 Sky-High Bridges in Guizhou: Which One to Visit? Guizhou is home to 49 of the world's 100...

Kunming South Railway Station China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Explore China's 7 Most Scenic Train Journeys China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train...

Harbin-Qiqihar Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Lanzhou-Lhasa Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a favorite festival of the Chinese people, celebrated on the 15th day of the...

Editor’s note: This article is eight years old, but Hacking Chinese Resources is still going strong! In March 2022, we reached 500 resources, which...

As you might have noticed, Hacking Chinese was down for almost a week and went online again only this morning. The server that hosted the site...

Beijing-Nanjing Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Xi'an Small Wild Goose Pagoda: a Complete Visiting Guide Small Wild Goose Pagoda is located in...

Hui Cuisine - China's Wild Cuisine Anhui cuisine is one of the lesser known of the...

Shanghai Massage Centers and Spas There are many massage centers and spas in Shanghai: from...

Chongming Island Located on the estuary of Yangtze River, Chongming Island is the third...

Top Shanghai Tours 2026 As China's hub of economy, fashion, and shopping, Shanghai offers...

Baishui Terrace With an altitude of 2,380 meters (7,808 feet) above sea level, the Bai Shui...

You can learn Chinese entirely for free, but paid resources can sometimes make the process more efficient and enjoyable. Sometimes, investing...

Double 11: The Biggest Online Shopping Festival in the World Double 11 is also called Singles'...

The Great Wall at Gubeikou — Ancient Site of Many Battles The Great Wall at Gubeikou was...

Xinjiang Weather in September (Travel Tips for First-Timers) September weather in Xinjiang is...

7-Day Longji Rice Terraces, Li River, and Yulong River Hiking Tour Explore the Peaceful...

Erdaoqiao Market With an area of 8,818 square meters (94,916 square feet), Erdaoqiao Market is...

Events Recap | That’s Mandarin March Highlights The month of March was such an action-packed time at That’s Mandarin 🔥You’ve played mahjong, made...

All About Our Six Course Bundle <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

I have taught a fair amount of writing in various languages and have been on the receiving end of even more. The main problem as I see it is that...

The Top 10 Facts About Suzhou for Tourists Tourists to Suzhou mainly like the extensive gardens...

16-Day Beijing, Yunnan and Jiuzhaigou Tour Classic Yunnan and Jiuzhaigou Tour Venture to the...

Tianjin Cruise Port Tianjin International Cruise Home Port (Tianjin Cruise Port for short)...

Hong Kong Weather in November 2025: Top Things to Do Many local people and travelers believe...

Mandarin Chinese Words Used To Describe Quantity Imagine you’ve been studying Chinese very hard and you want to find an appropriate word that you...

“Guanxi” in China: Use Them To Your Advantage In Chinese, the word guanxi (关系)has two basic meanings – “relationship” and “connections”.It’s not...

I’m sure many readers are familiar with the term process writing, because it’s used by many teachers when teaching native speakers and second...

Dongchuan Red Land: Best Times to Visit and How to Get There Dongchuan Red Land is a new rising...

Xi'an to Beijing Flights Xi'an - Beijing Flight Schedule The following internal air routes...

Beijing to Hanoi Train — Departure Date, Price, and Timetable China Train Ticket Booking China...

Shenzhen Weather - Best Time to Visit Shenzhen is in a humid subtropical climate zone with...

Chinese Food 7 Flavors and Tastes in Chinese + Must-Try Dishes Tea Guide: 7 Popular Types of Chinese Tea Chinese Table Manners and Etiquette...

Chinese folktales have an extraordinary power to ignite the imagination of children, especially those without a Chinese background. These stories,...

SAT Ⅱ Chinese Test Preparation...

As an experienced Mandarin teacher working with children from diverse backgrounds, I often see how non-Chinese students and their families are...

11-Day Yunnan and Chongqing Natural Wonders Tour Meet Wonderland and Heritage Yunnan and...

Chengdu Travel Guide 2026: Attractions, Itinerary, Best Times Chengdu is famous for its giant...

How to Plan a Guangzhou Half-day/One-day Tour Guangzhou has one of China's most important...

How to Visit the Xi'an City Wall: Tips from a Local Guide The City Wall of Xi'an is the largest...

Beijing Weather in November: Things to Do (2026) Weather: November in Beijing marks the...

This lesson will teach you the 7 most common ways for making self-introduction in Chinese. Let’s look at the following examples together, shall...

FREE Chinese Pocket Guide: Master the Trickiest Pinyin Pronunciations <!-- Pinyin chart ...

Your Guide to Colors in Chinese <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Top 8 Things to Do in Chongqing If you're curious about Chongqing, here are eight experiences...

Datong South Railway Station China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

How to Travel from Shanghai to the Great Wall of China The Great Wall is about 1,300...

Hong Kong Travel Guide: All Things You Want to Know As one of Asia's most vibrant and diverse...

Urumqi Weather in September Heavenly Lake Weather: September in Urumqi is typically warm...

The Ultimate Singles' Day Wrap Up <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

One of my favourite games recently is called Codenames. It’s a simple word game that is as simple as it is ingenious. While the game is designed...

Panmen Gate Accolades The gate to Suzhou is said to have more than a 2,400 year history....

Pingyao-Taiyuan Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

How to Eat Like a Local in Shanghai by Night Having given you an idea of what the average...

Harbin History Harbin itself does not have a long history as a city unlike most other Chinese...

3 Chinese Wedding Facts Explained – Traditions and Meaning 3 Chinese Wedding Facts Explained – Traditions and MeaningMay 5, 20253 Chinese Wedding...

Wǒ xū yào bāng zhù. 我需要帮助。 I need help. Nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ ma? 你可以帮我吗？ Can you help me? Kě yǐ jiāo wǒ ma? 可以教我吗？ Can you teach...

Learning to read Chinese comes with several problems, many of them unique. First, if you read something before the age of electronic dictionaries,...

Learning Chinese can sometimes lack structure and feel confusing, especially if you study on your own. There are few reliable reference points, and...

Yunnan Weather in March and the Top 5 Places to Go (2026) March is a good time to visit Yunnan...

2-Week Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Shanghai Educational Family Vacation Chinese Language and...

Xi'an Travel Guide Xi'an is characterized by and is proud of its ancient heritage, such as...

4-Day Shanghai Family Disneyland Tour Enjoy Family Time in Disneyland This private tour is...

One-Day Leshan Giant Buddha and Tea Terrace Tour Highlights Itinerary Price FAQ ...

  Listening is in my opinion the most important skill to focus on when learning Chinese. Listening not only provides the input you need to learn...

Something that have made me very frustrated throughout my Chinese language studies is the way my own Chinese ability has been evaluated by teachers...

Sanya Weather - Best Time to Visit Sanya Sanya belongs to the tropical coastal monsoon climate...

How to Plan a Trip to Xishuangbanna: Itinerary Ideas and Planning Tips Xishuangbanna Dai...

Yongding Transportation Yongding is a county is southwestern Fujian Province and is 307...

Beijing – Moscow International Train — Timetable, Ticket Price, and Visa China Train Ticket Booking ...

How to Visit the Forbidden City - for Discerning Travelers The Forbidden City is a palace...

Hú luó bo 胡萝卜 Carrot Qīng cài 青菜 Green veggie Xī lán huā 西兰花 Broccoli Fān qié 番茄 Tomato Dòu jiāo 豆角 Green beans Cài xīn 菜心 Choy...

Subtitles and transcripts can help you understand spoken Chinese, but do they also help you become a better listener? Should you read along, read...

I have now completed my first year in 華語文教學研究所 (Graduate Institute for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language), a program which is primarily aimed at...

Best routes of Tibet Hiking and Trekking Tibet is a land full of adventure. There are a lot of...

The Great Wall of the Northern Qi Dynasty The Great Wall of the Northern Qi Dynasty...

The Top 10 Churches to Attend in Shanghai Christianity was the second religion to arrive in...

Beijing Weather in August 2026: Travel Tips In August, Beijing experiences the peak of summer....

Office of Privy Council The Office of Privy Council is at the southern end of the Qianqingmen...

Century Glory Cruises As the newest, largest and most luxurious vessel on the Yangtze...

10 Days in Xinjiang: 3 Top Itineraries for a First Visit (2026) Xinjiang features a rich Silk...

How to Self-Study Chinese Online with Confidence <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

7-Day Zhangjiajie Photography Tour Catch the Exclusive Beauties of Zhangjiajie A newly...

5-Day Silk Road's Culture Journey Dunhuang Culture Discovery This exclusive tour provides a...

6-Day Guizhou Tour with Mt. Fanjing Encounter Ethnic Warmth and Isolated Beauty Guizhou, a...

2-Day Jiankou Wild Great Wall Camping Tour Awesome Great Wall Camping The Jiankou section of...

How to Plan a 5-Day Xiamen Tour Xiamen is a beautiful coastal city with fresh air and...

Baidu: Top Search Engine Alternative to Google in China Baidu: Top Search Engine Alternative to Google in ChinaApr 25, 2025Baidu: The Leading...

Different Ways Chinese People Say Yes or No <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Pigs' Horoscope 2026

10 Amazing Facts on the Tang Dynasty The Tang Empire (618–907) is noted as one of the longest...

Suzhou Weather in September Weather: The month gets both more rain and more sunshine...

Xianggong Hill - The Best Viewing Platform Overlooking the Li River Xianggong Hill is a superb...

When is a Glass a Glass? How To Tell if a Container is a Noun or a Measure Word in Chinese <!-- Pinyin...

Much has been written about using spaced repetition programs such as Anki for learning many things, including language in general and Chinese in...

Studying a language is quite unique in that it’s the medium through which a number of other skills and talents are channelled through, which means...

The Lion Grove Accolades This rock garden was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List...

Hong Kong - Yangshuo High-Speed Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

5-Day Guilin Tour with Moderate Hiking Real Interaction with Picturesque and Idyllic Guilin ...

The Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau Bridge The 55-kilometer-long Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge...

Shanghai Small Group Day Tours Shanghai, known as the 'Oriental Paris', is China's biggest and...

7 Popular Types of Chinese Tea You Need to Know | That’s Mandarin Tea Guide 7 Popular Types of Chinese Tea You Need to Know | That’s Mandarin Tea...

How to Type Pinyin with Tone Marks on Windows in 2020 <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Chinese has a reputation for being hard to learn, which is true depending on what you mean by “hard”. Learning Chinese can be even harder if you...

Changsha Vegetarian Restaurants Kaifu District 1. Ba Jixiang Sushi Chancha Restaurant The...

Changsha-Guiyang High-Speed Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Shanghai Weather in March 2026: Weather Tips & Where to Go Weather: It is windy in early...