Learn Chinese · 学中文

See Chinese anew — then learn it well.

A home for curious learners: essays on how the language really works, graded stories with audio, games, comics and ear training. Start anywhere.

Read your first storyWhy learn Chinese?
日+月=明míng bright · sun + moon
木+木=林lín woods · tree + tree
人+木=休xiū rest · person + tree

Explore

Seven ways into the language.

Theory 理论Essays on how Chinese works — its script, its structure, and its place in the world.2 postsStories 故事Graded readers with characters, pinyin, English and audio, one sentence at a time.1 postGames 游戏Play your way into characters, sounds and words.1 postManga 漫画Short original comics that teach everyday Chinese.1 postVideo 视频Video lessons and explainers.1 postAudio 音频Train your ear: tones, sounds and listening practice.1 postEvents 活动Reading clubs, live sessions and meetups.Coming soon

Featured essay

Alongside English: why Chinese may become humanity’s second language

If humanity needed only one common language, it would be English. If it needs a second, the strongest case is for Chinese: the largest community English does not reach, the most complementary language to English, and a script that people with different pronunciations have shared for centuries.

Read the essay阅读中文版
Bar chart: Chinese native speakers alone outnumber all speakers of any language other than English

Latest

AudioBeginner

The Four Tones: Hear the Difference

四个声调

Mandarin uses pitch to tell words apart. Learn the four tones with a pitch chart, twenty listening examples and a quick ear-training quiz.

GamesBeginner

Picture Characters

看图识字

Match twelve everyday characters to the pictures they grew from — sun, moon, mountain, water, fire and more. Each round takes about a minute.

MangaBeginner · HSK 1

One Green Tea, Please

我要一杯绿茶

A four-panel comic about ordering tea in a café — the six phrases you need, with pinyin, English and audio.

StoriesBeginner · HSK 1–2

Baby Panda Looks for a Friend

熊猫宝宝找朋友

A gentle first story for beginners: a baby panda meets a bird, a fish and a monkey. Characters, pinyin, English and audio for every sentence.

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Members-only lessons and stories — starting with Brush Talk and 100 Characters from 20 Building Blocks — plus a member badge in every discussion.

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