What to Call People in China: 30 Address Terms That Work
师傅, 阿姨, 老板, 小姐姐: 30 Chinese terms of address sorted by situation, what each one really signals, …
Language
Chinese language notes for foreign readers: address terms, radicals, Mandarin myths.
Mandarin that actually helps you get things done — address terms, radicals that unlock characters, and the myths about learning Chinese that slow beginners down.
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10 Chinese Radicals That Unlock Thousands of Characters
The 10 radicals that turn up everywhere in Chinese: what each one signals, the characters it bui…
6 Myths About Learning Mandarin, Checked Against My Notebook
Six Mandarin myths — hardest language, 5,000 characters, tones — checked against what actually h…
What to Call People in China: 30 Address Terms That Work
师傅, 阿姨, 老板, 小姐姐: 30 Chinese terms of address sorted by situation, what each one really signals, …
6 Myths About Learning Mandarin, Checked Against My Notebook
Six Mandarin myths — hardest language, 5,000 characters, tones — checked against what actually h…
10 Chinese Radicals That Unlock Thousands of Characters
The 10 radicals that turn up everywhere in Chinese: what each one signals, the characters it bui…
FAQ
Is Mandarin hard to learn?
The writing system and tones are the two real hurdles, while grammar is comparatively simple. Most learners find the first few months the steepest, then it eases as patterns repeat.
How many Chinese characters do I need to know?
Roughly 1,000 characters cover the large majority of everyday reading. Knowing a few dozen high-frequency radicals helps you guess the meaning of many more.
What is the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese?
Mandarin is the standard language taught in schools and spoken across most of China. Cantonese is a regional variety centred on Guangdong and Hong Kong, with its own pronunciation and several extra tones.