chinese tones

Shanghainese

Is Shanghainese the Same as Mandarin Chinese?  

Mandarin Chinese, or Standard Chinese, is the official language of China. However, it’s not the only language Chinese locals are speaking. There are other regional languages and dialects spoken throughout China.  In Shanghai, the locals use both Mandarin Chinese and its provincial dialect, Shanghainese. Though Shanghainese shares many similarities to Mandarin Chinese, it still has …

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Learn Hanzi

How to Learn Hanzi: Quick-Start Guide for Beginners

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet, 27 letters in Spanish, and 74 letters in Khmer used in Cambodia— the world’s largest alphabet.  Unlike these languages, Chinese does not have an alphabet! However, it does have a unique writing system that consists of roughly 50,000 characters (Hanzi). Each character represents one syllable of spoken …

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improve chinese listening

5 Practical Tips to Improve Chinese Listening Skills

Listening is one of the most important elements in one’s Chinese learning journey. Good listening skills allow you to communicate effectively with Chinese people and have solid interactions. However, Chinese listening is also one of the most challenging skills to master. No worries—we’re here to help!

Type in Chinese: Type Pinyin on iOS. Type Pinyin on iPhone and iPad. Type Pinyin on Macbook. Type Pinyin on iMac. Type Pinyin on Android. Type Pinyin on Windows.

Type in Chinese: How to Type in Pinyin with Tone Marks

Typing in Chinese: How to Type in Pinyin with Tone Marks One of the most fundamental and crucial aspects of studying Chinese is mastering Pinyin. Pinyin is the official romanization system for most Mandarin Chinese-speaking countries worldwide.  What is Pinyin? The Romanization of Chinese characters based on their pronunciation is called Hanyu Pinyin, or Pinyin …

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