Guides to learning Mandarin Chinese

Clear answers to the most common questions people have when they start learning Chinese, written by Maca Laoshi, a Chinese teacher with more than 22 years of experience.

• How to memorize Chinese characters (and why you keep forgetting them)Why you forget Chinese characters and 7 techniques that work: components, radicals, spaced repetition, handwriting and learning the most frequent ones first.
• How many Chinese characters do you need to know?How many Chinese characters exist, how many are really used, how many a Chinese person knows and what each new HSK level requires. Official figures and goals.
• Is Duolingo good for learning Chinese? A teacher's reviewWhat Duolingo's Chinese course does well, where it falls short (tones, grammar, conversation) and how to use it to really make progress. A teacher's review.
• The best apps to learn ChineseComparing apps to learn Chinese: what's free, which ones teach you to write, which correct your pronunciation and how to combine them. Reviewed October 2026.
• Is Chinese hard to learn for English speakers?What's hard about Mandarin (characters, tones, new sounds), what's easier than it looks (no conjugations or articles) and how to start without frustration.

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