Learning path · 7 lessons

Learn Chinese from Zero: Where to Start

The first things to learn, in order: the sounds of pinyin, the four tones and how they change in speech, typing pinyin, how characters are written, and what the HSK levels mean.

  1. 1 Pinyin Chart: All Initials and Finals, with AudioEvery common pinyin syllable in one chart, with audio for each tone. How the initials and finals sound, which ones English speakers mix up, and the spelling rules for y, w and ü. Beginner
  2. 2 Mandarin 4 Tones: How to Say Each Tone, with AudioMandarin has four tones plus a light neutral tone. How each one sounds, a pitch chart, common mistakes, tone marks, and 20 tone pairs to practise, with female and male audio for every example. Beginner
  3. 3 Mandarin Tone Changes — Third Tone Sandhi, 一 and 不The tone change rules every learner needs — two third tones in a row, the tone of 一 (yī) and the tone of 不 (bù) — with examples. Beginner
  4. 4 How to Type Pinyin with Tone Marks or Tone NumbersThree ways to write pinyin — tone marks (nǐ hǎo), tone numbers (ni3 hao3) and no tones (nihao) — how to type ü, and how to search hanzi.ac with each. Beginner
  5. 5 Chinese Stroke Order Rules — The 8 Basic Rules with ExamplesThe basic rules of Chinese stroke order — top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical and more — with example characters you can watch animated. Beginner
  6. 6 Simplified vs Traditional Chinese CharactersWhat simplified and traditional Chinese characters are, where each is used, how they differ, and which one to learn. Beginner
  7. 7 What is the HSK? The Chinese Proficiency Test ExplainedThe HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is the official Chinese proficiency test for non-native speakers. Who runs it, what it tests, and why its word lists matter for learners. Beginner

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