Tips for effectively learning Chinese
Here, we list some tips for you to make the best use of Smart Chinese Reader and speed up your process of Chinese learning.
Click on a topic to go to it directly.
1. How to understand a Chinese word?
While reading, you will encounter Chinese words which you don't know frequently.
- In the Beginner tab,
it is highly recommended that you try to infer a word's meaning from information available,
including meanings of surrounding words you have known, parts of speech (POS) and English translation of the sentence.
This is a way of active learning and strengthens your memory of the word.
See http://www.nlptool.com/faq.aspx?id=10 and http://www.nlptool.com/faq.aspx?id=11 for detail. - If inferring fails, consult the Chinese dictionary by clicking on the word.
- Double-clicking on the word to read example sentences in the Examples tab and learn the word's usages in real expressions.
2. How to memorize a Chinese word?
To understand a word is one thing, to remember it is another thing.
- If you find a Chinese word important in a text and want to remember it, click on it to bring up the Chinese dictionary. Mark the word as To-learn by checking the To-learn checkbox at the bottom of the dictionary entry, and it will be added to the to-learn word list and displayed in the Review tab.
- Open the Review tab, try to recall its definition and try to translate sample sentences containing the Chinese word. In the following days, repeat the drill several times until you can pass it easily.
- When the word become familiar, mark it as Known.
3. How to learn structures of Chinese sentences?
The syntax of Chinese is quite different from that of English.
You should develop a clear understanding of Chinese grammar.
- In the Beginner view, parts of speech of Chinese words in a sentence
such as "verb", "adjective", "adverb", "noun", or "place name", "person name" are labeled with different colors.
Try to familiarize yourself with various patterns of POS combination.
See http://www.nlptool.com/faq.aspx?id=10 for detail.
4. How to build your own Chinese sentence base?
The ultimate goal of learning Chinese is to communicate with Chinese people, whether via email, IM, social media, or face to face.
Grasping a certain number of Chinese sentences is key to this.
- When you come across an example sentence in the Examples tab that seem interesting to you,
just bookmark it for future use by clicking on the "Bookmark" icon (To be implemented in version 2.2) next to it.
For example, if you plan to travel to China, the following bilingual sentence will come in handy one day:
你 可以 搭 地铁 。
You can get there by subway.
If you want to study in a Chinese university, bookmarking the sentence below is wise:
明天 开学 ( 放假 ) .
School opens (will break up) tomorrow.
- Example sentences that you have bookmarked are shown in the Bookmark tab (To be implemented in version 2.2). Review them constantly and familiarize yourself with them to ensure they come to mind once they are needed.
5. How to pronounce Chinese words and sentences?
Listening comprehension and speaking are big parts of learning a language and they are big parts of HSK exam as well.
- Bring up the Chinese dictionary by clicking on a word whether you are in the Beginner, Advanced, Examples, HSK, or Review tab. Then click on the Speaker icon to hear the word pronounced.
- In the Beginner tab, click on the Speaker icon to the right of a sentence to hear the sentence read aloud.
6. How to select a proper Chinese text to read?
You should select Chinese texts that match or are a little beyond your Chinese level to read.
- You can determine the difficulty a Chinese text by the numbers of words it contains of HSK 1, HSK 2, HSK 3, HSK 4, HSK 5, and HSK 6. This information is displayed in the Advanced view.
- Or by the number of words you have marked as Known in the text. It is also shown in the Advanced view.
7. How to determine your Chinese literacy by yourself?
It is important to be aware of your progress in learning Chinese and set yourself a new goal to pursue.
- You can determine your Chinese literacy by yourself in term of the percentages of your known words in the vocabularies of HSK 1, HSK 2, HSK 3, HSK 4, HSK 5, and HSK 6. They are shown in the HSK tab.
8. How to prepare for HSK test?
You will take HSK exam if you want to study in a Chinese university, or just want to check your Chinese level.
- In the HSK tab, select the level of HSK exam you want to take. The vocabulary of this level will be displayed.
- Mark some words as To-learn by bringing up the Chinese dictionary .
- Review them frequently in the Review tab via answering quizzes on their definitions and usages.
- Once you can do the drill easily, mark them as Known and mark some other words as To-learn.