Year: 2026

Looking back at my Chinese-learning journey, it’s easy to in hindsight identify things I could have done better. I now have fifteen years of...

Do you know what the real challenge of learning Chinese characters is? Some people who are good at learning things but haven’t learnt Chinese ask...

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (also known as the Chen Clan Academy,...

Beijing-Datong-Pingyao-Xi’an Train Travel China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Xi'an-Xining Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Xilamuren Grassland: Must-Visit Inner Mongolia Prairie Xilamuren Grassland is the nearest...

COVID-19 in Shanghai After the National Holiday Shanghai, the largest city in China, is now facing another wave of the spread of the coronavirus....

Learn Chinese New Year Vocabulary with Our Latest Google Hangout <!-- Pinyin chart ...

Laozi 道可道，非常道。A way that can be the Way, is not the usual way. 名可名，非常名。A name that can...

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: How to Visit & Tips The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, officially known as...

Urumqi-Lanzhou High-Speed Train China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

As a Mandarin teacher working with children aged 3 to 17, I’ve witnessed more non-Chinese families enrolling their kids in Chinese language...

小作文 (xiǎo zuòwén) used to mean a short essay in exams, usually around 100–300 characters. But today, on the internet, “小作文” is slang for overly...

In Australia, children have access to a variety of resources for learning Chinese, including classroom instruction, online learning, community...

This is a guest article by Julien Leyre of the Marco Polo Project. The publication of this article coincides with the start of this month’s...

Snake Horoscope 2026

10 Interesting Yunnan Facts for Travelers Yunnan is an incredible area and fabulous for...

If you‘ve ever spent New Year‘s Day in a Chinese-speaking environment, you might have noticed something surprising. People don’t immediately say...

5 Essential Chinese Words that Seem Weird in English <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

This article about wuxia is written by Sara K.. After reading this article, I wanted to read more wuxia, and I hope that you will too! Of course,...

I have briefly mentioned that I use Audacity quite a lot (Recording yourself to improve speaking ability), but the more I use the software, the more...

The Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) The 800-year period of the Zhou Dynasty (1045–221) is...

The Overhanging Great Wall The Overhanging Great Wall, was built on a steeply sloping...

Beijing Travel Reviews Explore the solid proof of our top-rated service. Here, you'll find...

What Was Traded on the Silk Road and Why (10 Items) As the name implies, silk was the most...

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

Shanghai–Shijiazhuang Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

2021 was overall a good year here on Hacking Chinese. I was able to write one article and publish one podcast episode every single week, without...

How to Plan a Trip to China and Vietnam 2026 China and Vietnam are two countries in Asia where...

The Top 12 Things to Do in Guangzhou Guangzhou is one of China's top 10 most popular tourist...

Hard Sleeper VS Soft Sleeper China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Harbin Train Schedule China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

How to Order 10 Popular Coffee Drinks in Chinese How to Order 10 Popular Coffee Drinks in ChineseMar 23, 2025☕ 10 Popular Coffee Drinks in Chinese...

Top 5 Reverse Culture Shock Moments - Returning from China to the West <!-- Pinyin chart ...

The Ming Dynasty - The Last Han Chinese Dynasty The Ming Dynasty era was from 1368 to...

Qinghe Railway Station China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

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

Shenzhen-Shantou High-Speed Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

The Top 7 Museums in Shanghai Shanghai has more than 72 museums, some of which are free of...

This week’s podcast episode (number 200) is a reader and listener Q&A, where I answer three questions about vocabulary acquisition in Chinese,...

Learning to write thousands of Chinese characters is a daunting task, but fortunately, character writing is also one of the most hackable parts of...

Guangzhou Biking Near Guangzhou, there is a surprisingly tall waterfall and an interesting area...

Hangzhou Shopping — What to Buy and Where to Buy Hangzhou is well known for its excellent silk,...

Shopping in Suzhou - What to Buy and Where to Buy Having a history of more than 2,500 years,...

Top 5 Beijing Food Streets & Night Markets (2026 Guide) Beyond Peking duck, Beijing's...

Jiuzhaigou: How to Visit, How to Get There, Best Times Jiuzhaigou is famous for its sparkling...

China Holidays 2025 – Dates & Guide China Holidays 2025 – Dates & GuideJan 9, 2025China Holidays 2025: Complete Guide with Official Dates...

Pitfall 1: Tones, Tones, Tones!...

Regular visitors to Hacking Chinese will know that I’m a bit obsessed with pronunciation and have spent an inordinate of time both on theory...

Chengdu Weather in July 2026: How to Plan a Cool Trip Is July a good time to visit Chengdu? ...

Where to Stay in Chengdu: Best Areas for First-Timers If you're visiting Chengdu, especially...

What to Eat and Where in Zhangjiajie: Food, Restaurants A visit to Zhangjiajie could be a...

Best Cities to Learn Chinese in China Where to Learn Chinese in China? Many foreigners prefer to study Chinese in China as an immersive learning...

The Top 12 Silk Facts for China Travelers Silk is more than just a fabric in China: it...

The Yellow Mountains The Yellow Mountains, also called Huangshan (the Scenic Area, not the city...

The IB Chinese B course can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can excel. One of the most effective ways to prepare for this exam is...

Announcing the Yoyo Chinese Adoptive Family Scholarship Program <!-- Pinyin chart ...

15 Funny Memes About Learning Mandarin Chinese <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Best Time to Visit Yangshuo: Monthly Weather and Tips Yangshuo is world-famous for its stunning...

One-Way Private Transfer Between Xi'an Airport (Train Station) and Your Hotel Highlights...

When you first start learning Chinese, choosing reading material is not at the top of your list of problems for a simple reason: there simply aren’t...

Many people who don’t study the language think of Chinese as being a language much like English, with some variety but still mutually intelligible...

Activities for Active Travellers in Chengdu If you are in search of recreational activities...

Top Things to Do in Tianjin Adjacent to Beijing, Tianjin is the largest harbor city in northern...

Jiuzhaigou Weather in October 2026 Weather: In October, Jiuzhaigou gradually cools down to...

Hong Kong's Skyline No one will deny that Hong Kong has one of the most beautiful skylines in...

5 Weirdest and Most Unique Chinese Dishes Chinese pride themselves on eating a wide range of...

Dec 11 | Christmas Party (Beijing & Suzhou) Are you in Beijing or Suzhou on Thursday, December 11, 2025? Come and enjoy Chirstmas dinner and...

Learn Chinese with Rap: I Like to Eat Chinese Food <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Today, I have the pleasure of inviting you into my shower and show you some neat ways of improving your Chinese. I promise I will keep my clothes...

China Airlines Airplane is the most convenient and fastest means of transportation, though it...

Best (and Worst) Times of the Year to Visit Chongqing 2026 Chongqing is a city as unpredictable...

Tone Change Rules for the Chinese Word 不 (bù) <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Dounan Flower Market — Epicenter of China's Flower Market The favorable climatic and...

The 4 Best Cities for Chinese New Year The Chinese New Year holiday is the best time of the...

Image source: freeimages.com/profile/timucin If you want to get things done in life, there seems to be one general truth that is applicable in...

It’s time for a Hacking Chinese meet-up in Beijing! It’s my first time visiting China since before the pandemic, so I’m looking forward to meeting...

Reading is one of the most important skills when learning a language. It’s an excellent way to expand vocabulary, learn grammar and improve your...

Guangzhou Weather in October: Weather during the Canton Fair Weather: Autumn starts around...

First Bend of the Yangtze River Features 1. Interesting scenery and historic site. 2....

Tibet Train China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

16-Day Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, Guangdong, Xian and Beijing Tour China History and Zhangjiajie...

Huangshan Train Schedule China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Karry - Your Personal Trip Advisor Karry Hu Trip Advisor "Hi, I'm Karry Hu, your...

10 Facts You Should Know About Hong Kong Shopping Hong Kong is a shopping heaven. Before...

Have you used a textbook to learn Chinese? Most students will say yes, because textbooks are popular not just in formal education, but also...

9-Day Yunnan Highlights with Spring Blossoms Tour Seeking Yunnan's Floral Paradise ...

Talking about the weather is a great way to break the ice. In Chinese, knowing weather-related vocabulary and phrases can help you sound more...

Four Self-Care Skills I Learned Growing Up In China <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

A Complete Index of Yoyo Chinese Blog Posts <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Best Things to Do in Tibet Known as the "Roof of the World", Tibet is famous for its sacred...

How to Plan A Trip to Lake Namtso Namtso, Tibetan for "Heavenly Lake", is often described as...

Guiyang Tourist Map: Plan Your Trip with Attractions and Transportation Visiting Guiyang for...

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

5-Day Sanya Tour with the Best Beach A Feast of the Sea, the Shore, and the Sun If this is...

Where to Stay in Tibet & How to Choose Hotels Tibet can be a tricky place to find the right...

Chinese Insults: How to Name-Call Like a Pro (Part 2) <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

This article was written as a follow-up to a keynote presentation and a workshop held by me at the 15th Annual Chinese Teaching Conference organised...

Daocheng Yading Travel Guide - How to Get and Visit Is Daocheng Yading worth visiting? If you...

Macau Weather in February Weather: February is cool, but most people will find the weather...

17 Interesting Facts about Chinese New Year for Kids Here are some interesting Chinese New Year...

Dujiangyan Irrigation System This ancient waterworks about 60 km northwest of Chengdu...

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

Xi'an Weather in March 2026: Things to Do and Travel Tips Weather:March marks the transition...

Best Times to Visit Xinjiang (Travel Tips for First-Timers) Xinjiang attracts tourists with its...

One-way Private Transfer Between Hong Kong Airport, Attractions and Your Hotel Highlights...

Maria, a ten-year-old girl from German, learning Mandarin out of curiosity about Chinese language and culture. However, as the weeks passed, Maria’s...

Zhe Cuisine/Zhejiang Cuisine — The Mellow Seafood of Zhejiang Zhejiang Cuisine originates from...

Lijiang Weather in April Weather: In April, it is generally warm and sunny during the day....

How To Make Small Talk in Chinese <!-- Pinyin chart Video ...

Hacking Chinese was launched more than a decade ago with the intent to help people learn Mandarin in a better way. This means that the website has...

Harbin (Ice City in China): Ice Festival, Attractions, History, Weather Harbin is the capital...

Victoria Anna Cruise Victoria Anna is the sister ship of Victoria Jenna. It was refurbished...

I’ve been teaching beginner courses in Chinese for more than ten years, but I still remember what it was like to write my first characters. When...

The number of blogs introducing different parts of Chinese have exploded in recent years. Apart from companies involved in language education who...

It is often difficult to gauge the difficulty of tasks before you have already mastered them. Some things seem hard, but are actually quite easy;...

7-Day Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Ancient Town, Changsha Tour The Best of Hunan Hunan Province...

How to Visit Lijiang Old Town: Your Handy Tour Guide Lijiang Old Town, also known as Dayan Old...

Yan'an Attractions Yan'an is not a popular tourist destination in China, but is an important...

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

Chengdu Museum New Building The Chengdu Museum New Building is a large new comprehensive...

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

Xi'an Weather in July 2026: How to Avoid the Heat and Crowds Weather: In July, Xi'an's...

Hong Kong Christmas - Schedule of Top Events and Details Hong Kong has one of the world's...

The Best 7 Shanghai Walking Tours Shanghai is a city that is suitable for exploring on foot....

Songzanlin Monastery - Largest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Yunnan Songzanlin Monastery in...

How Many Dialects Are There in Chinese? The Ultimate Breakdown <!-- Pinyin chart ...

So you’ve learnt some Chinese, but then you took a break. Maybe you become too busy, maybe you lost interest, maybe something else, it doesn’t...

The Symbolism of Chinese Foods China is a country with a long history, and food has played an...

Suzhou Weather in April Weather: As March, the month of April sees a significant rise in...

Baotou Travel Guide — How to Plan a Trip to Baotou Baotou, known in China as 'City of Steel in...

I’m going on a short trip to the US starting this weekend, and I thought that would be a great opportunity to meet up with American readers. I have...

Emperor Kangxi - the Most Famous Qing Dynasty Emperor Emperor Kangxi was the second emperor of...

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

Beijing 6 Best Restaurants - How to Find Authentic Local Flavors Not all top-ranked restaurants...

The Mid-Autumn Festival in Beijing The Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival, is...

Beijing Festivals Beijing, the capital of China, is also the cultural center of the country....

Guilin Tours Private, Tailor-Made Guilin Tours — Expertly Created for You Guilin's karst...

Chinese Summer Camp Is Back in 2022: Now Online Too! Chinese Summer Camp: Back in Summer 2022!First of all, exciting news — Chinese Summer Camp in...

Wǒ hài pà. 我害怕。 I’m scared. Wǒ yǒu diǎn hài pà. 我有点害怕。 I’m a little scared. Mā ma, wǒ hài pà. 妈妈，我害怕。 Mom, I’m scared. Wǒ hěn...

Hǎo ma? 好吗？ Okay? / Are you okay? Wǒ lái le. 我来了。 I’m coming. Děng yī xià. 等一下。 Wait a moment. Wǒ zhī dào. 我知道。 I know. Wǒ bù zhī...

Discover Ximending: A Popular City Walk Ximending, known as the "Harajuku of Taipei", is a...

10-Day Fanjing Mountain, Zhangjiajie, and Minority Village Tour Natural Wonder Discovery ...

The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell | Hacking Chinese

Last month’s challenge on Hacking Chinese Challenges was about sensible character learning, an area I had neglected for months. It was meant as an...

Huangshan Weather in June Weather: June is the rainiest month of the year and has an average...

Beijing to Xi'an by Train or Plane China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

4-Day Beijing Private Tour to Visit the Great Wall at Night Romance of Beijing The Great...

7 Days in Xinjiang: 4 Top Itineraries for a First Visit Covering one sixth of China, Xinjiang...

Top Things to Do in Yunnan Yunnan Province, covering an area of 394,000 square kilometers...

12-Day China Educational Tour with School Exchange Visits A Journey of Intercultural...

Lamma Island's Family Walk 9-kilometer (6-mile) walking path - a 2.5-hour stroll 1 giant...

Ferries Between Hong Kong and the Nearby Cities Hong Kong's ferries are almost always faster...

How to Cook Wontons Wonton (pronounced "hún tún" or "hún tun" in Chinese pinyin, pronounced...

The Great Wall of China in the Han Dynasty The Great Wall in the Han Dynasty was the...

Chinese Words That May Cause Confusion In one of our previous blog articles, we explained seven pairs of synonyms in terms of the nuances between...

A pre-launch plea for help | Hacking Chinese

Over the years, I’ve built up a simple but yet powerful cycle of listening activities that provides most of what I need. This series of exercises...

Zhangjiajie September Weather 2026: Before Crowds Return September in Zhangjiajie is the start...

The Best 6 Enjoyable Places to Shop in Guangzhou Guangzhou is the largest and most...

15 Gifts You Should Never Give as Chinese New Year Gifts Celebrating Chinese New Year with...

What’s in a Student’s Schoolbag? Learn Chinese Words What’s in a Student’s Schoolbag? Learn Chinese WordsMar 5, 2025What’s in a Chinese Student’s...

In the fast-paced world of international business, clear communication is essential, especially when working with Chinese partners in the...

Part of a breakdown of a student’s bottom-up listening ability. Listening should come before speaking. I think this is true for language learning...

Hulunbuir Grassland Located in the northeast of Inner Mongolia, Hulunbuir Grassland is one of...

How to Get the Most out of Macau in 2 Days Although small in geographical size, Macau is one of...

Chongqing-Wuhan Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Wǒ shì zuò cǎi gòu de. 我是做采购的。 I work in purchasing. Wǒ shì zuò fáng dì chǎn de. 我是做房地产的。 I work in real estate. Wǒ shì zuò fú...

To communicate in Chinese, many different skills need to come together and work in unison. If you’re speaking, word order and word choice need to be...

Chatting online is seldom considered a method for learning Chinese, but it has several unique benefits. While generally regarded as a frivolous...

How a Chinese Meal Is Served At a Chinese meal, dishes are served one by one in the middle of...

How to Plan a 7-Day Itinerary in Yunnan With 7 days to spend in Yunnan, we will give you some...

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

Guilin Railway Station China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

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

Best Cycling Routes around Shanghai In Shanghai riding bikes is a common and inexpensive way of...

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

9-Day Tibet Tour with Lhasa and a Ganden–Samye Trek This tour is temporarily suspended due to...

Best (& Worst) Times to Visit Beijing: Travel Tips for 12 Months The best times to visit...

Disneyland Hong Kong — Intro, Tips, and Tour Plan Disneyland Hong Kong is a fairly small but...

Beidahu Ski Resort Peak Elevation: 1357 meters (about 4450 feet) Area: 17 square...

Urumqi Weather in March Weather: March in Urumqi is around freezing and quite dry, though the...

Image credit: flickr.com/photos/ardenswayoflife/ I have had my fair share of Chinese language courses, even though it’s also true that most of my...

16 Fascinating Things about Chinese New Year (#15 Will Impress You) Chinese New Year (CNY) is...

Tongli Ancient Town - a Quiet and Classic Chinese Town Built in the Song Dynasty (960–1279),...

5-Day Tulou & Wuyi Mountain Cultural Tour Step into Fujian's World Heritage Wonders This...

Lhasa Gonggar Airport Lhasa Gongga International Airport is at an altitude of 3600 meters...

Half-Day Private Shanghai Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour Highlights Itinerary Price...

How to Use Alipay with International Bank Cards Planning a trip to China? Considering what you’ll need for your trip? There’s one thing to plan...

Dongba Museum Dongba Museum is Sort of like an active museum in the Yushui Village Scenic...

The Mid-Autumn Festival in Japan The Mid-Autumn Festival is named Tsukimi (月見) or Otsukimi...

1-Day Incredible Chongqing Megacity Walking Tour Highlights Itinerary Price FAQ ...

HSK Level 3: Downloadable Test Students at this level are able to confidently communicate with native speakers regarding all basic aspects of...

Cinema in China: Essential Chinese Vocabulary Since more and more Western movies are coming to China, as well as there is a plenty of decent...

In this lesson, eChineseLearning’s professional Chinese teacher will teach you shopping related Chinese words, expressions and grammar....

If I wrote a comprehensive guide to learning Chinese with a special focus on vocabulary, what would it look like? Now you can find out for free!...

Oddly-Shaped Rocks of the Yellow Mountains The strangely-shaped rocks are one of the Four...

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

Chongqing-Changsha Trains China Train Ticket Booking China Train Int’l Train from...

Illustration of Exchange Rate Difference China Highlights currently converts Chinese currency...