I’m an international student at a Chinese university and I also used to be intimidated by Chinese when I began to learn this whole new language. I hope my suggestions can help you take the road less travelled.
As you may know, Mandarin Chinese is the official language in China and the most used language around the world. But none of its features makes it easier to learn, especially for us who use a whole different language system. But when you begin to know something about Chinese, trust me that you are in a very charming world. So I admire your courage when you decide to learn Chinese and want to encourage you to stick it on.
Learning a new language is always a tough task, but here are some methods you can follow to make yourself learn it effectively.
Tips for you to learn Chinese easier and faster
1、Textbooks Suit you
First, at the preparatory stage, you need to find a series of textbooks that suits you. The textbooks are expected to contain responded workbooks and audios that provides you with an opportunity to exercise what you have just learned and lead to the right pronunciation or further understanding of the textbooks.
You can also learn Chinese according to the requirements set by the HSK test which is a very important test if you want to study in China. You can take a look at this website and know more about this test. Get to prepare for it as soon as you can but in the meantime remember the certificate is only valid within 2 years.
2、 Listen to Mandarin Often
Next, try to create a Chinese learning atmosphere by listening to Mandarin as often as you can. Word said that a baby learns a language through listening. Therefore, imagine yourself are a baby in Mandarin Chinese and seize every chance to listen to Chinese, like Chinese news for taking a bus, Chinese songs for taking a shower, and Chinese stories for taking a nap. All these audios can be found on the Internet through applications like Podcast. You can check some podcasts on this webpage
3、Memorize Characters
Then the most important stage is to devote time and energy to memorizing Characters. Build your vocabulary is very crucial in learning Chinese. You can use some application like Anki to help you conduct this task anywhere and anytime. Around 2,000 characters can make you fluent in Chinese. Don’t forget to memorize them in the context for it’s easier and more effective.
4、Use Chinese
After you can use Chinese, you can improve it by reading books and watching Chinese films and TV productions. But I recommend you to choose some books of intermediate level and productions that can interest you. Apart from these, you can keep a diary in Chinese to improve your writing skills and use Chinese applications like Weibo or WeChat to make some Chinese friends or know what’s trendy in China right now.
Other suggestions offered to you
I think this webpage may be available to you. Besides, if you want to apply to Chinese universities in the future, a good command of Chinese can be an advantage. Fluent Chinese speaking, reading, and writing can also raise your chance of applying to the Chinese government scholarship and finding a prosperous job. You can check the articles shared by some other international students on the CSC scholarship and entry requirements.
Generally, applying to the CSC scholarship for the graduate program requires the HSK of level 4 or above. The higher you obtain, the more likely you will get compared to other applicants.
Another way to learn Chinese is through Chinese Language Programs online by some universities in China during the COVID-19 time. You can check on the information on CUCAS that has a complete list of programs offered by the universities.
When you begin to apply to the Chinese universities and the Chinese government scholarship, you can also ask favor from CUCAS. I do think its service of high-quality. But you still need to search for the necessary information on the official websites.
All in all, hope you still interest in Chinese after you really begin your journey. And wish you good luck in the application to the Chinese universities in the future. Remember to like and recommend my article if you find it useful to you!