Hacking Chinese Podcast

90% of an iceberg is underwater, yet we mostly pay attention to the bit that sticks up. The same is true for proficiency in Chinese: speaking ability is easy to see, but relies on a much larger system underneath.
#learnchinese #speaking #input #iceberg
Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: The Chinese iceberg: Why speaking more isn’t enough to speak better: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-chinese-iceberg-why-speaking-more-isnt-enough-to-speak-better/
The Input Pyramid: Chinese Listening for Any Situation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-input-pyramid-chinese-listening-for-any-situation/
Learning Chinese through comprehensible input: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-input
How to improve your Mandarin speaking skills with a tutor: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-improve-your-mandarin-speaking-skills-with-a-tutor/
Get to know your Chinese voice to level up your speaking ability: https://www.hackingchinese.com/know-your-chinese-voice/
Focusing on tone pairs to improve your Mandarin pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focusing-on-tone-pairs-to-improve-your-mandarin-pronunciation/
The art of being corrected: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-art-of-being-corrected/
Chengyu, a key to Chinese language and culture, or a waste of time? https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-the-right-chengyu-the-right-way/
Don’t learn Mandarin pronunciation by reading, listen and mimic instead: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dont-learn-mandarin-pronunciation-by-reading/
How learning some basic theory can improve your pronunciation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-learning-some-basic-theory-can-improve-your-pronunciation/
Chinese tones explained: The four Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/
How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/
Real communication: What it is, why you want it and how to get it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/real-communication-what-it-is-why-you-want-it-and-how-to-get-it/
Improving your Chinese pronunciation by mimicking native speakers: https://www.hackingchinese.com/mimicking-native-speakers-way-learning-chinese/
More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.com
Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

I have published a book! It's called Hacking Chinese: the Snake Collection and contains articles I wrote in 2025, the Year of the Snake. The articles cover a wide variety of topics, but Chinese characters, tutors and input are the most prominent.
#learnchinese #anthology #hackingchinese #snake
Link to article on Hacking Chinese: New book: Hacking Chinese: The Snake Collection: https://www.hackingchinese.com/new-book-hacking-chinese-the-snake-collection/
Purchase the book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bOH8i5
Best of Hacking Chinese 2025: https://www.hackingchinese.com/best-of-hacking-chinese-2025
The Snake Collection contents with links to articles and podcast episodes: https://www.hackingchinese.com/snake
Courses on Hacking Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses
More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.com
Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Most learners know they should “listen more”, but what they listen to matters. To improve, you need to make sense of spoken Mandarin, not listen to people explain Mandarin in English.
#learnchinese #listening #podcast #english #input
Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: 30 minutes of podcast, 3 minutes of Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/30-minutes-of-podcast-3-minutes-of-chinese/
Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 4: Learning to process spoken Mandarin quickly and effortlessly: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-4-learning-to-process-spoken-mandarin-quickly-and-effortlessly/
Chinese language logging, part 1: Why and how to track your progress: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-language-logging-part-1-why-and-how-to-track-your-progress/
How much Chinese should you listen to every day? https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-much-chinese-should-you-listen-to-every-day/
The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-fluent-listener/
Analyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation’s four strands: https://www.hackingchinese.com/analyse-and-balance-your-chinese-learning-with-paul-nations-four-strands/
How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese/
The best podcasts for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese/
The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/
The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners/
More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.com
Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

When we first start learning Chinese, each new character is hard to learn, but as we learn more, it gets easier. But a new problem soon appears: Mixing up similar characters.
#learnchinese #characters #vocabulary #forgetting
Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: Dealing with Chinese characters you keep mixing up: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dealing-with-chinese-characters-you-keep-mixing-up/
The real challenge with learning Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-real-challenge-when-learning-characters/
Skritter review: Boosting your Chinese character learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/skritter-review-boosting-your-character-learning/
Anki, the best of spaced repetition software: https://www.hackingchinese.com/anki-a-friendly-intelligent-spaced-learning-system/
How to learn Chinese characters as a beginner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-chinese-characters-as-a-beginner/
Which words you should learn and where to find them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/which-words-you-should-learn-in-and-where-to-find-them/
5 websites to help answer your questions about Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/5-websites-to-help-answer-your-questions-about-chinese/
Chinese characters and words that refuse to stick: Killing leeches: https://www.hackingchinese.com/killing-leeches/
Zooming in: The tools you need to break down and understand Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/zooming-in-the-tools-you-need-to-break-down-and-understand-chinese/
Zooming out: The resources you need to put Chinese in context: https://www.hackingchinese.com/zooming-out-the-resources-you-need-to-put-chinese-in-context/
Panning: Keeping similar Chinese characters and words separate: https://www.hackingchinese.com/panning-keeping-similar-chinese-characters-and-words-separate/
Dealing with near-synonyms in Chinese as an independent learner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/dealing-with-near-synonyms-in-chinese-as-an-independent-learner/
How to make Chinese easier by using mnemonics and memory techniques: https://www.hackingchinese.com/memory-aids-and-mnemonics-to-enhance-learning/
Phonetic components, part 2: Hacking Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/phonetic-components-part-2-hacking-chinese-characters/
7 mistakes I made when writing Chinese characters and what I learnt from them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/7-mistakes-i-made-when-writing-chinese-characters-and-what-i-learnt-from-them/
More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.com
Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Listening is the most important skill. To improve your listening ability in Chinese, you need to listen a lot, but how much should you listen every day?
#learnchinese #listening #time #practice #immersion
Link to the article this podcast episode is based on: How much Chinese should you listen to every day? https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-much-chinese-should-you-listen-to-every-day/
The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/the-fluent-listener-navigating-mandarin-like-a-fish-in-water
Beginner Chinese listening practice: what to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listening-practice-what-to-listen-to-and-how
The 10 best free Chinese listening resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-10-best-free-chinese-listening-resources-for-beginner-intermediate-and-advanced-learners
The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese
The best podcasts for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-podcasts-for-learning-chinese
100 hours of Chinese listening in 3 weeks: what I learnt and how to apply it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/100-hours-of-chinese-listening-in-3-weeks-what-i-learnt-and-how-to-apply-it
The input pyramid: Chinese listening for any situation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-input-pyramid-chinese-listening-for-any-situation
Chinese language logging, part 1: why and how to track your progress: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-language-logging-part-1-why-and-how-to-track-your-progress
The time barrel: or why you have more time than you think: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-time-barrel-you-have-more-time-than-you-think
How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chinese
Listen more than once: how the replay button can help you learn more Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/listen-more-than-once-how-the-replay-button-can-help-you-learn-more-chinese
Habit hacking for language learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/habit-hacking-for-language-learners
More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.com
Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)