Learning path · 7 lessons
Learn Chinese from Zero: Where to Start
The first things to learn, in order: the sounds of pinyin, the four tones and how they change in speech, typing pinyin, how characters are written, and what the HSK levels mean.
- 1 Pinyin Initials and Finals: How Each Sound Is Said, with AudioHow the 21 pinyin initials and the finals sound, which ones English speakers mix up, and the spelling rules for y, w and ü. Every example has female and male audio. Beginner
- 2 Mandarin 4 Tones: How to Say Each Tone, with AudioMandarin has four tones plus a light neutral tone. How each one sounds, a pitch chart, common mistakes, tone marks, and 20 tone pairs to practise, with female and male audio for every example. Beginner
- 3 Mandarin Tone Changes — Third Tone Sandhi, 一 and 不The tone change rules every learner needs — two third tones in a row, the tone of 一 (yī) and the tone of 不 (bù) — with examples. Beginner
- 4 How to Type Pinyin with Tone Marks or Tone NumbersThree ways to write pinyin — tone marks (nǐ hǎo), tone numbers (ni3 hao3) and no tones (nihao) — how to type ü, and how to search ChineseDict with each. Beginner
- 5 Chinese Stroke Order Rules — The 8 Basic Rules with ExamplesThe basic rules of Chinese stroke order — top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical and more — with example characters you can watch animated. Beginner
- 6 Simplified vs Traditional Chinese CharactersWhat simplified and traditional Chinese characters are, where each is used, how they differ, and which one to learn. Beginner
- 7 What is the HSK? The Chinese Proficiency Test ExplainedThe HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is the official Chinese proficiency test for non-native speakers. Who runs it, what it tests, and why its word lists matter for learners. Beginner