Author Archive | Sheena Dizon

Chinese for Beginners: 6 Basics You Absolutely Need to Learn First

Imagine learning a language with no cases, genders or tenses. Believe it or not, those are just some of the many perks you’ll get when learning Mandarin Chinese! Mandarin is often painted as one of the most difficult languages …

过 Guo in Chinese: 11 Ways Guo Functions as a Verb, Adverb and Aspect Particle

You’ve probably come across tons of vocabulary lists, with one simple translation per character or word. But if you have any experience with the language, Chinese characters rarely have a singular definition. On top of that, characters can take on …

The Chinese De: A Simple Guide on Using 的, 得 and 地

Ever heard of the Chinese de? It may sound like the exclamation “duh” in English, but it’s slightly more complicated than that. The Chinese de isn’t just some simple utterance, but rather, an important and nuanced element of Chinese grammar…

Chinese Grammar: The Complete Guide to 15 Core Elements

Chinese grammar is logical, structural and simple. To be completely honest, Chinese language structures make more sense to me than grammar rules of other languages—English included. Let’s explore the key grammatical elements of the Chinese language system, and I think …

Top 28 Chinese Apps You Must Download in 2024

No access to Google, YouTube, Facebook or Whatsapp in China? No problem! The Great Firewall of China might prevent you from browsing your usual sites and platforms, but there are plenty of alternatives and essentials that will tide you over.…

10 Popular Video Games in Chinese for a Chill Immersion Experience

Do you want a good Chinese review sesh where you don’t actually feel like you’re studying? Then you need some 电子游戏 (diàn zǐ yóu xì) — video games in Chinese! It’s amazing how much you can pick up when you’re …

The Master List of Chinese Resources: 1000s of Options at Your Fingertips

Here’s a master list of our favorite Chinese resources—the best of the best!—recommended by our team of real language learners. You’ll find everything from digital learning resources like apps and courses, to more traditional fare like flashcards and textbooks. Plus, …

My Complete ChineseClass101 Review: Is It Worth Upgrading from a Free Account?

It has been floating around on language learning forums that ChineseClass101 is pretty good in terms of course flexibility and catering to all levels of learners, so I thought I’d give it a go. If you’ve been curious about …

24 Best Apps for Learning Chinese to Improve Your Skills in 2024

Chinese learning apps are an awesome addition to your study toolbox. They can connect you with native speakers, teach you how to write Chinese characters, help you remember vocabulary and more. We’ve been reviewing Chinese learning resources and writing hundreds …

Pinyin Subtitles: 6 Useful Tools for Watching Chinese Videos with Ease

If you’re interested in Chinese culture, you might have gotten into it by being captivated by Mandarin-language movies and television shows. Unfortunately for beginner learners, watching Chinese films authentically usually isn’t possible. Most Chinese films offer 汉字 (hàn zì) — …