Learn Chinese, properly.
Original articles on Mandarin vocabulary, grammar, culture and how to actually make progress.
Featured
Latest articles
How to Memorize Chinese Characters Using Radicals
How to Memorize Chinese Characters Using Radicals
How to memorize Chinese characters using radicals: the top 15 radicals, a four-step Hanzi decomposition workflow, and the cognitive science behind why rote copying fails.
Mandarin Fluency Calculator: How Long Does It Take to Learn Chinese?
Mandarin Fluency Calculator: How Long Does It Take to Learn Chinese?
The honest answer: about 2,200 hours to professional working proficiency. Here's where that number comes from, the four-tier ladder, and a calculator for your own pace.
All 45 European Countries in Chinese — and the 7 Characters Behind Most of Them
All 45 European Countries in Chinese — and the 7 Characters Behind Most of Them
All 45 European countries in Chinese with pinyin, etymology, and the seven recurring characters that unlock dozens of names at once.
All 35 Countries of the Americas in Chinese — and the One Character That Names 8 of Them
All 35 Countries of the Americas in Chinese — and the One Character That Names 8 of Them
All 35 American countries in Chinese with pinyin, etymology, and the seven recurring characters that unlock most of the list, including the abbreviation that secretly means two countries.
HSK to CEFR: What's the Honest Mapping?
HSK to CEFR: What's the Honest Mapping?
HSK levels don't map cleanly onto CEFR, no matter which chart you find. Here's why, what China's test board claims versus what European teachers found, and an honest range-based mapping.
Welcome to the New Merry Mandarin Blog
Welcome to the New Merry Mandarin Blog
The Merry Mandarin Blog is live today: original, carefully-researched articles on learning Chinese, sitting alongside the free tools suite and Grammar Lab.
Traditional or Simplified? It's Not the Question You Think
Traditional or Simplified? It's Not the Question You Think
Traditional or Simplified Chinese? The real answer isn't which is better, it's where you'll use it. A clear decision guide for new learners.
Why Gamified Apps Stall You at Beginner Mandarin
Why Gamified Apps Stall You at Beginner Mandarin
Streak apps get you to HSK 2 then stall. Here's the input-review-production pipeline that actually breaks the Mandarin plateau.
World Cup Mandarin: 22 Football Words, Two Characters
World Cup Mandarin: 22 Football Words, Two Characters
Two characters, 球 and 门, unlock 15 of the 22 Mandarin words you need to follow a World Cup match. A grouped vocabulary primer for HSK 2-4 learners.