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- Chinese Radicals Explained: What They Are and How to Use ThemA radical is the part of a Chinese character used to file it in dictionaries, often a hint to meaning. Learn the 214 radicals, side forms and 30 key ones.
- Chinese Stroke Order: The Rules, With ExamplesChinese stroke order follows a few rules: top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical, outside before inside. Learn each rule with examples.
- How Chinese Characters Are Built: Strokes, Components and RadicalsChinese characters are built from strokes that form components, arranged in set layouts. Most combine a meaning part with a sound part. See how it works.
- How Many Words Are in HSK 1? 150, 300 or 500 ExplainedHSK 1 has 300 words in the November 2025 exam syllabus. 500 is the 2021 standard and 150 is the old HSK 2.0. See which list to study, with a full table.
- How to Memorize Chinese Characters Without Rote LearningBreak each character into parts you know, learn the radicals, review after 1 and 3 days, use short stories as memory aids, and write from memory.
- HSK 1 Study Plan: Learn 500 Words in 4 WeeksA 4-week HSK 1 plan for the 2021 standard: 500 words in 10-word groups, 15–20 minutes a day, quick checks and repeats after 1 and 3 days.
- HSK 2 Study Plan: Learn 200 New Words in 4 WeeksA 4-week HSK 2 plan for the 2025 exam syllabus: 200 new words in 20 groups of 10, your first 100 handwritten characters, and repeats after 1 and 3 days.
- HSK 3.0 vs HSK 2.0: What Changed in the New HSK?HSK 2.0 had 6 levels and 5,000 words. The 2021 standard set 3 stages, 9 levels and 11,092 words; the new HSK exam follows it. See what changed.
- HSK 3 Study Plan: Learn 500 New Words in 10 WeeksA 10-week HSK 3 plan for the 2025 exam syllabus: 500 new words in 50 groups of 10, 250 handwritten characters, and repeats after 1 and 3 days.
- HSK 4 Study Plan: Learn 1,000 New Words in 20 WeeksA 20-week HSK 4 plan for the 2025 exam syllabus: 1,000 new words in 100 groups of 10, 400 handwritten characters, and steady 1- and 3-day repeats.
- Mandarin Tones: The 4 Tones, Neutral Tone and Tone ChangesMandarin has four tones plus a neutral tone. Learn how each one sounds, the tone changes for 不, 一 and two third tones, and how to practise them.
- Pinyin Explained: Initials, Finals, Tones and SpellingPinyin writes Mandarin in Latin letters: an initial, a final and a tone mark. Learn the sounds, the ü, y/w and apostrophe rules, and common mistakes.
- Simplified vs Traditional Chinese: Which Should You Learn?Simplified characters are used in mainland China and Singapore and on the HSK; Traditional in Taiwan and Hong Kong. See the differences, with examples.
