FAQ
Common questions about learning with Chiny.
Where should a complete beginner start?
Start with tones and pinyin so new words are pronounceable Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Then learn greetings, pronouns, 是/有/在, and numbers Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Use a short daily loop: tones → words → one pattern → one dialogue Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
How much time should I study each day?
Twenty to thirty focused minutes daily beats long irregular weekends Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Keep speaking aloud even in short sessions Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Add character writing a few times per week after words are familiar by sound.
Should I learn tones or characters first?
Prioritize tones with pinyin while you begin high-frequency characters.
Characters stick better when you already know the spoken word Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Avoid silent memorization of character lists with no audio Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Simplified or Traditional characters?
This site teaches Simplified Chinese for beginners Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Choose Traditional if your life/travel goals center on regions that use it.
Stay with one system at the start to reduce confusion Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Do I need a native speaker from day one?
A tutor or language partner helps, but structured self-study can start immediately.
Use audio models and record yourself for tone checks Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Human feedback becomes especially valuable once you can form basic sentences.
How do I remember vocabulary?
Learn words in tiny decks with example sentences, not isolated lists Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Reuse the same words in patterns, phrases, and dialogues Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Speak each item aloud with correct tone every review Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Measure words feel overwhelming. What now?
Default to 个 for many everyday nouns while you build confidence Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Learn precise measures with the nouns you actually say (本 for books, 杯 for drinks).
Demonstratives need measures too: 这个 / 那个 Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
When do I use 不 versus 没?
Use 不 for habits, future/refusal, and adjectives Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Use 没 / 没有 for past non-occurrence and to negate 有 Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Remember 不是 and 没有 as fixed high-frequency forms Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
How do I type Chinese on my phone or computer?
Install a Pinyin input method and type the pronunciation, then choose the character.
Tone numbers are usually optional for typing because you pick from candidates.
Practice typing the same beginner words you study aloud Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
What if my accent is bad?
Clear tones and initials matter more than sounding native overnight Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Shadow short phrases and keep a weekly tone trainer habit Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Most listeners appreciate effort and context; keep communicating Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
How soon can I use Mandarin while traveling?
Survival phrases for greetings, food, directions, and numbers appear quickly.
Focus on asking for repetition: 请再说一次 and 请慢一点 Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Pair phrase packs with listening so you recognize answers, not only questions.
I feel stuck after the basics. What next?
Expand from isolated sentences to short dialogues and pattern swaps Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Tighten tone sandhi and measure-word habits Make the next study block small enough that you can finish it today.
Follow the study plan levels: add reading lines and spaced word reviews.
What is a radical, and do I need them as a beginner?
A radical is a recurring piece used to file characters in dictionaries. It is often a meaning hint, not a pronunciation spell.
You do not need the whole traditional radical list before you speak. Learn the ones that show up in words you already say: person 亻, mouth 口, water 氵, wood 木, speech 讠.
Radical studio on this site groups those pieces with example words. Attach the radical to speech, not to a silent chart.
Why do 买 and 卖 keep swapping in my mouth?
They are a tone pair: 买 mǎi dips (tone 3), 卖 mài falls (tone 4). The characters also differ, but the stall hears the tone first.
Practice them as a forced choice, not as two isolated flashcards. Contrast pairs on this site includes that pair.
Put each in a sentence you would actually use: 我买这个。你卖水果吗？ Gesture while you say them.
When should I add 了?
Add 了 when a situation is now the case (我饿了, 下雨了) or when a relevant event is finished (我吃了).
Skip 了 on plain identity lines like 我是学生 unless becoming a student is the news.
To say you did not do something, start with 没 + verb (我没吃), not a homemade 不了.
What is the difference between 了 and 过?
了 often cares that something changed or finished. 过 cares that the experience exists in your life.
你去过北京吗？ is “ever.” 你去北京了吗？ is closer to a specific trip, often recent.
Keep them apart this month. Combining 过了 is later grammar.
When do I use 穿 vs 戴?
穿 is for clothes that go on the body: shirts, pants, coats, shoes in many everyday lines.
戴 is for hats, glasses, watches, masks, and similar accessories.
Umbrellas are usually 带 (bring) when you leave the house, and 打伞 when you hold one in the rain. Do not default to 穿伞.
How do I invite someone without sounding like a command?
Start with 你有空吗？ then 一起 + verb + 吧. 明天一起喝咖啡，好吗？ also works.
要不要 is a built-in yes/no: 你要不要一起去？ Do not stack 吗 on top.
If they cannot come, 不好意思，我不能去 and 下次吧 are complete. Do not disappear from the roleplay.
Where do saved words and review items live?
They stay in this browser (local storage). This site does not create a cloud account for your deck.
Clearing site data, switching browsers, or using private mode will drop that list.
Treat Saved as a scratch pad, not as your only copy of words you care about.
What should I study after Level 3?
Level 4 on the study-plan page continues into family introductions, directions, shopping talk, likes, weather, invitations, 了/过, and simple plans.
Keep the same daily loop: tones, a small word set, one pattern, one short dialogue. New pages should reuse old words.
If a lesson feels huge, finish the linked deck and one read before you open the next lesson.