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Learn Mandarin Chinese for
Beginners
A Step-by-Step Guide to Master the
Chinese Language Quickly and Easily
While Having Fun








Leo W
...

The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or
transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher
...


Legal Notice:
This book is copyright protected
...
You cannot amend,
distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part, or the content within this book,
without the consent of the author or publisher
...
All effort has been executed to present
accurate, up to date, reliable, complete information
...
Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in
the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice
...
Please consult a
licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book
...


Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: The History of Mandarin
Chapter 2: Where Can Mandarin Be Used?
Chapter 3: How to Approach Learning Mandarin – Studying Tips and Tricks
Chapter 4: Mandarin Character Uniqueness
Chapter 5: Tones
Chapter 6: Pinyin Pronunciation
Chapter 7: Mandarin Character Brush Strokes
Types of Mandarin Brush Strokes
The Eight Brush Stroke Rules
Chapter 8: What Can Go Wrong, and How Can We Rectify It?
What Can Go Wrong?
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...

6
...

7
...

8
...

9
...

What Can I Do to Fix It?
1
...

2
...

3
...

4
...

5
...

6
...


7
...

Chapter 9: Learning Some Words
Pronouns and Genders
Greetings and Saying Farewell
Family Members
Verbs
Numbers
Animals
Body Parts
Plants and Nature
Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, and Grains
Food and Drink
In the House and Around Our Daily Lives
Society
Common Words
Conclusion
References

Introduction
The decision to pick up another language is not an easy one
...
This is where congratulations is necessary, as you took the next
step into learning a language that is revolutionizing the world as we know it
...

Coupled with this book is a workbook that will provide you with hands-on
practice for learning to both read and write Mandarin
...
But first, one needs to delve into a bit of history, as that is where true
interest is cultivated
...
Mandarin
has become ingrained within modern society, with more individuals wanting to
learn the language than ever before
...
The Global Exam further mentioned that they expect a number of
no less than 100 million students learning to prepare for the HSK in 2020, a
number that has been exceeded
...
What is meant by
this is that as you start to learn about the different tones in Mandarin, especially
those related to pinyin, you will begin to understand the intricacies of the
language
...
That’s why this book has been carefully structured in order to
ensure that readability is maximized
...
However, this

book is written by those who understand the difficulties of the Mandarin
language, as well as the pitfalls that many fall into when learning the language
...

Although we want you all to learn and be as fluent in Mandarin as you can
possibly be, it will not happen overnight
...
What you put in, is what you will get out
...
You may find that as you progress, you start to forget the basics
...

A memory that reinforced the creation of this book was my own journey in
learning Mandarin
...
The amount of
time I had used to focus on the repetition, speech, and characters could probably
have earned me a good sum of money
...
You see, Mandarin is
more than just memorizing a bunch of characters; it integrates history with
current teachings, ensuring that the cultural aspect of the Mandarin language is
not mitigated
...
Remember the level of
excitement that you are currently feeling
...
Whether you are learning
Mandarin as a party trick, because you find Chinese culture interesting, or you
are planning to immigrate to an Asian country that speaks Mandarin, the journey
starts now
...
With Mandarin being the official language of
both mainland China, as well as Taiwan, it does not mean that it is not spoken in
other countries around the world
...
With that
being said, it is currently the most widely-spoken language across the world
...
Dialects are not languages per se, and are rather
seen as a subset of a language that is spoken in a specific city or country
...
For example, in Hong Kong, Cantonese, a specific dialect of
Mandarin, is spoken
...
The reason for this identification is that the standard Mandarin
characters are used when communicating in the written form, which heightens
the degree to which those conversing understand each other, even though their
spoken dialects are mutually unintelligible
...
Mandarin
is a part of the Chinese family of languages, which is seen as a subsection of the
Sino-Tibetan language group
...
With Mandarin having
four tones, some other languages that fall under the Chinese language family
have up to ten distinct tones
...

Mandarin can refer to a specific language group or as its better-known reference,
being that of the Beijing dialect of mainland China’s standard language
...

When referring to Language Atlas of China , there is a division whereby eight
different dialects are spoken
...
In order to provide some
geographical context, we have included the eight divisions below:
●

Northeastern Mandarin is spoken by approximately 98 million
individuals
...
Since there is a very strong
similarity with standard Chinese, there are very few tonal differences that
establish a differentiation
...

Typically spoken in Beijing along with in Chengde and Northern Hebei, it
has begun to branch further into areas such as northern Xinjiang
...
However, it is because many
researchers group Beijing Mandarin and Northeastern Mandarin together
based on similarity that the number of people who speak these two dialects
respectively are combined
...
There are
marked differences regarding the tones and vocabulary when compared to
standard Chinese, leading to zero understanding when conversing with the
latter
...
Typically, this variance has resulted in only 35
million individuals speaking the dialect
...

● Central Plains Mandarin, spoken by approximately 186 million
individuals, is typically found in the central parts of Shaanxi, eastern
Gansu, and southern Xinjiang
...

● Lanyin Mandarin is spoken by 17 million individuals across the central
and western Gansu province, as well as in the Ningxia autonomous region
...
Typically, there are marked
phonological and lexical differences, establishing a sense of intelligibility
when compared to Beijing Mandarin
...
Spoken by the Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and
Hubei provinces, the sharp tonal, phonological, and lexical changes
establish marked intelligibility with Beijing Mandarin
...
However, as Mandarin moved closer toward the Western world, the
Chinese themselves starting referring to the language as p ǔ tōng huà (), guó
yǔ (), or huá yǔ ()
...
Guó yǔ means “national language” and is used
by those in Taiwan, with huá yǔ also having the same meaning, but it is used by
those residing in Singapore and Malaysia
...
However, it was in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) that Mandarin
emerged as the language of choice by the ruling class
...
China’s capital changed from Nanjing to Beijing, remaining as
Beijing throughout the Ming and Qing Dynasties
...
Officials
from different provinces in China continued to migrate to mainland China,
needing to adapt their dialects in order to communicate in court
...

Typically, when a dynasty falls, there is a change in the main language of the
country
...
To commemorate the fall of the
Qing Dynasty, it was renamed as pǔ tōng huà in 1955
...

Mandarin uses Chinese characters, known as Hànzì ( ) , a s its writing system,
however, these characters have their own history
...
However, as time
progressed, the characters became more stylized and started representing ideas
as well as objects
...

Each Chinese character represents a specific syllable of the Chinese language
...
It
is usually the Chinese writing system that deters individuals from wanting to
learn Mandarin
...

According to the Kangxi Dictionary ( ), there are 47,035 Chinese characters
...
However, do not let this number scare you, as there are really
only 3,500 basic Chinese characters that are used for everyday communication
...

Their scripts and styles have been changed to form what we now know as
freehand cursive, or Xing Shu ( )
...
These inscriptions were typically
used for divination, leading it to being called “bu ci” ( )
...
As the Shang
Dynasty led into the Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 BCE), bronze inscriptions were
noticed on ritual wine vessels and other bronze objects
...

As the Zhou Dynasty led into the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BCE), small seal
characters gained popularity
...
It is also here where, along with the

country’s unification, the Qin Dynasty’s first emperor simplified and unified the
written Chinese language
...

Official script was then developed during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE)
...

Regular script was developed as a by-product of official script, becoming
apparent in the southern and northern dynasties (420 - 589 CE)
...
It is from this point that the mainstream script was developed, with
there being no major alterations occurring
...
The disadvantage of this form of writing is that if one is not trained in
reading combined strokes, there is little to no chance that the total meaning will
be able to be fully understood
...
It was
during this time that the Chinese government decided to introduce simplified
characters to aid in the learning and understanding of the Chinese writing
system
...

However, although a simplified character system was adopted by mainland
China, Malaysia, and Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong have chosen to
continue with the use of the traditional characters
...
Students have the ability to
utilize the Western alphabet to represent the sounds that are spoken in Mandarin
...

The system that is adopted with teaching materials is Pinyin
...
This set off a wide rally of acceptance

as the United Nations followed suite in 1986
...

When referring to the spelling of Chinese geographical and personal names,
pinyin has made the process that much easier
...
The learning of pinyin has become mandatory across all Mandarinspeaking countries
...

The development of pinyin has increased the rate at which non-Chinese
individuals are able to learn Mandarin
...

Coupled with Chinese characters, pinyin has enabled many foreigners to learn
the pronunciation of Mandarin whilst also explaining both the grammatical and
spoken domains of the language
...
Today, when visiting
Taiwan, one will see the spelling of roads and stores in Tongyong Pinyin
...
For example, when applying for a new passport,
the personal names could be written in Wade-Giles, Tongyong, or Hoklo of
Hakka
...
These countries all have more than 50% of their population
speaking Mandarin, clocking in at approximately 1
...
The countries that make up this number are
China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macao
...

A lot of people find that learning Mandarin opens many doors for them,
especially in terms of career options
...
The
reason these jobs are well sought after is primarily due to the language barrier
that prevents residents of Mandarin-speaking countries from interacting with
other countries where Mandarin is not an official language
...
Contrary to that,
learning Mandarin further increases the degree of innovation a person or
company experiences as the pool of applicants from which one can choose rises
dramatically
...
These opportunities cover both in-school and external
schooling, where an exchange becomes possible
...

With China near the top of the worldwide rankings in terms of their quality of
education, finding an avenue to enter into their schooling system should not be
disregarded
...

China is the fourth most popular destination for travel, having the third-largest

population of international students
...
However, the trend that has been noticed the most is an
increase in 10% per year across the past decade, making China one of the most
popular study-abroad destinations in the world
...

South Korea’s contribution to the international student populace in China has
dropped to 17%, primarily due to the options and reputations of Chinese
universities now reaching further across the world
...
Other popular cities where
international students prefer to study include Guangdong in the south of China
and Liaoning in the northern area of Beijing
...
However, China focuses on recruiting the most
talented, providing them with state-of-the-art equipment and teaching facilities
in order for them to really make a difference
...
With more than 277 institutions providing over 40,000
scholarships, it should not come as a surprise that international students are
flocking toward the opportunities that China is offering
...
When we compare this data to that
of 2006, there has been more than a 5-fold increase in the amount of
scholarships offered
...

Mandarin is further used in many streams of entertainment, which are starting to
be readily adopted internationally
...
The
globalization of the Chinese entertainment network has only proven to be of
benefit to the populace as it has created an alternative revenue stream for the
country
...
For each of these three languages, there is a
specific theme that has resulted in their worldwide adoption
...
However, for Mandarin, it was a smorgasbord of reasons
...
When learning Mandarin, you are not only
allowing yourself to interact with those who are indigenous to Chinese
speaking countries, but you are creating a sense of common ground for
interaction with other international students who have also started to learn
Mandarin
...
What you do
is teach someone from China your indigenous language whilst they teach
you theirs
...

● Many find that the language barrier present in other countries prevents
them from visiting them
...
Therefore, it is human nature to want
to overcome challenges that present themselves
...
Not only does it make the entire experience easier, but it allows
you more time to explore and delve even deeper into that country’s culture
(and this is time that would have been spent trying to figure out where to
go next)
...
According
to SHINE News, these Chinese drama shows (shortened to C-drama) have
attracted so much popularity that they are now being streamed from
Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime
...

This has resulted in an increase in both professionalization and
industrialization in the Chinese entertainment industry so as to cater to the
growing international market
...
The reason for

this is to promote ease of communication with other countries
...

With that being said, many individuals obtain a basic bachelor’s degree at a local
university, then emigrate to a Mandarin-speaking country as an English teacher
...
This means that an
individual will definitely be getting more bang for their buck
...

The benefits that come with this include working shorter hours in
comparison to private schools, as well as having longer paid vacations
...

● Private language academies: One can expect to earn RMB 6,200 - 16,000
($900 - $2,300) per month
...
The curriculum at private academies tend to be more rigid than
public schools, meaning that you will need to know a specific level of
Mandarin in order to work at these institutions
...
Along with this, typically there is a
lighter workload and far fewer teaching hours when compared to other
instructors
...

● International schools: These are where you want to teach as you will find
the highest salaries
...
However, landing one of these jobs is not only a lot more difficult,
but there are sizably lower benefits and longer working hours
...
You will also be able to establish relationships with
your colleagues, providing a more comfortable working environment
...

Thus, being able to establish these relationships will also be beneficial for one’s
mental health
...

Whether you are in Singapore, mainland China, or Taiwan, it is likely that
newspapers, news channels, and road signs will be in Mandarin
...
The Northwest Asian Weekly has expressed the need for foreigners
to actively read their country’s respective newspapers
...
Therefore, they recommend that one takes at least twelve
months of intensive Mandarin classes before emigrating
...
Although most healthcare professionals are trained to
converse with patients in both English and Mandarin, seeking and obtaining
healthcare may prove to be very difficult if one cannot understand road signs or
instructions indicating where to go
...
Not understanding their diagnosis and the type of
medication that is being given is worrisome and stress-inducing
...
Thus, in order to mitigate the chances of this occurring, a basic
understanding of the Mandarin language should be obtained
...
With many different cultural events and festivals being
based on historical teachings, the base tabloids that are kept in museums have
more than likely been translated into traditional Chinese characters
...
This means that by promoting a
culture that focuses on learning Mandarin, the heart of specific cultures remains
preserved
...
This is when people will show
respect to their ancestors by cleaning their graves, offering food or wine,
and burning incense
...

● Dragon Boat Festival: Also known as the Duānwǔ Jié () Festival, it is a
day of cultural prayer and worship honoring Qu Yuan, an exiled official
who drowned in the Miluo River and whose body has never been
recovered
...
This is with the main
intent to keep fish and evil spirits away from Qu Yuan’s body
...
For the past 2,000 years, lanterns have been lit as a way for people
to pray for their futures
...

The Mandarin language has become ingrained in the societies of many countries,
and learning the language has become necessary to navigate life within specific
countries
...
The
amount of opportunities that learning Mandarin grants you with, however,
knows no bounds and will only aid in your personal development
...
However, it is not knowing where to start learning that typically stops
people from pursuing learning the language
...
Learning Mandarin is not for
everyone, especially as it takes countless more hours to learn in comparison to
other languages
...

Not only will you get a first-hand look at what learning it looks like, but you will
get a feel as to how much time you will need to dedicate in order to truly learn
the language
...
When it comes
to learning the language, it is going to take a lot more than attending a few
classes
...

A resource that many recommend is called Fluenz
...
The book that you are currently
reading, as well as its associated counterpart, work perfectly with Fluenz,
especially seeing as the amount of practice provided will have you reading and
writing Mandarin in no time
...
Preferably, try to pick a notebook
that has large line spaces and margins as this will make jotting down characters
that much easier while also providing more than enough space to practice the
writing of the characters
...

With pinyin being the most commonly used system to learn written Chinese, it
acts as a great introduction to the “one syllable” rule
...
An example would be “wŏ shì zhōngguó rén” which has
five syllables
...
However,
as you start to delve deeper into your studies, you will begin to realize that the
pronunciation of pinyin is not as if you would read the word in English
...

Once you have worked through the basics in this book and have a rather detailed
notebook with all that you have learned, it is time to start speaking Mandarin to
others
...
With native speakers, they will
be able to correct you regarding your pronunciation, allowing you to
conceptualize where you are not pronouncing words correctly and rectify it
before it becomes habitual
...

You want to ensure that you are immersing yourself in the Mandarin language as
often as possible, which is why listening to it during your morning commute is
highly recommended
...

At the beginning, you may feel like they are speaking too fast, especially when
you are listening to a news channel
...
This is why it is recommended to use “ChinesePod”
to really maximize your learning
...

Many want the quickest route to learning Mandarin
...
It is important that you are able to set both short-term and
long-term goals, as this allows you to work toward something
...
As you move from your long-term goals to your short-term ones, set
monthly goals that could vary from having memorized a hundred Chinese
characters to even reading an easy Chinese book
...
This means the
following:
● Specific (S): One wants to ensure that the goal that you have in mind is
specific
...

● Measurable (M): Adding numbers to your goal quantifies it, allowing it to
be even more impactful
...

● Attainable (A): When a goal is reached, it should empower you to take the
next step, which is why you need to have a serious reality check
...

● Relevant (R): The best goals have a benefit attached when achieving
them
...
Will learning Mandarin give you improved education
prospects? Will it allow you to create a better life for you or your family?
As soon as you attach a benefit to your goal, you make it more real, with
there being a tangible result that you can gain once completing it
...
This
aspect of SMART provides deadlines for your goals
...
For example, if you want to
learn a hundred new Chinese characters per month, this means that you
need to learn twenty-five new Chinese characters per week
...
It is important that you are not afraid to alter your goals
...
This is where you need to create a learning plan and study timetable to
ensure that you do not fall behind
...

Not only will this result in you learning the content more quickly, but it will
ensure that your foundation is strong
...

By incorporating activities that combine speaking, writing, reading, and listening
into your daily schedule, you will learn Mandarin at a faster pace
...
A few
examples are as follows:
● Reading and speaking: The easiest and most cost-effective way to
combine these two skills is by reading aloud
...
This will also help you in hearing how you
will sound when you talk to others
...
Some find that it is useful to match the
content of the flashcards to the activity that they are doing
...

● Listening and writing: What many find to be of great use is listening to
any Mandarin-speaking show on YouTube, and then having a friend who
is fluent check if what you heard was correct or not
...
Doing
this for approximately 15 minutes per day is highly recommended
...
However, it really is
the best method to master those rather difficult Chinese characters
...
An easy

way to practise this is to read a sentence and then write it down
...

It is important that when you start learning Mandarin, even at the beginning
phases, that you start to focus on phrases instead of the intricate nuances of
individual vocabulary
...
Try adding a phrase or sentence that uses a character that you have just
learned
...

Remember, do not be daunted by the intricacies of Mandarin grammar
...
When learning them, make sure you fully understand one
aspect before adding another
...

If you find yourself to be a visual learner, we recommend the sticky note method
of learning Chinese characters
...
Writing down characters
and phrases onto these sticky notes and then putting them up on your wall will
allow you to visualize the content more readily
...
The reason for this is that they challenge themselves to learn or
repeat a new Chinese character before they enter and exit the room
...
If you cannot get a hold of colorful sticky notes, the same
aspect can be applied using white one and an array of colorful pens
...
We call this “total immersion”
...
With this manner
of learning, there can be both bouts of frustration as you cannot get where you
need to go on your device and happiness as you successfully navigate your
device
...


As you progress through your journey of learning Mandarin, you may find that
the above tips and tricks may not necessarily work for you
...
We are at the part of the book where you will begin to learn
more about the practicalities of Mandarin, how to read it, as well as what some
of the more common word choices are when speaking to friends, co-workers,
and family
...


Chapter 4: Mandarin Character Uniqueness
Over 955 million people speak Mandarin as their mother tongue, surpassing
English to be the most commonly spoken mother tongue in the world
...
Almost all of the Mandarin characters are
derived from actual historical images and objects
...
Its character is , which looks like three points
of a mountain range
...

Typically, each individual character that makes up a more complex character is
called a radical
...
Now this character is comprised of three different radicals, as follows:
● Heart:
● Plentiful:
● Moon:
As we see that the combination of the above makes up the character, as soon as
you change any of these radicals, the entire meaning of the character will
change
...
This is where
you are able to see the degree of character uniqueness that Mandarin shows
...
A few examples are as follows:
● Amoeba: Āmǐbā ( )
● Bacon: Péigēn ( )
● Bagel: Bèiguǒ ( )
● Chocolate: Qiǎo kè lì ( )
● Coffee: Kā fēi ( )
● Cookie: Qǔqí ( )
● Golf: Gāoěrfū ( )
● Massage: Mǎshājī ( )
● Sofa: Shā fā ( )

● Tuna: Tūnnáyú ( )
Each syllable in pinyin has a corresponding Chinese character
...
This is how the “regular script” was defined during the
Wei to Jin period
...
Having
discussed him in a previous chapter, what we did not mention is that the earliest
surviving pieces of regular script were, in fact, handwritten notes by Zhong Yao
...

It is because the characters are so unique that the task of memorizing them can
seem rather tedious
...
Here are a few
examples of the radicals that one would typically find to the left of the Chinese
character:
Radical

Radical as Pinyin
a character

Meaning

Examples

Rén

Person

- You: nǐ ( )
- They: tā men ( )

Shuǐ

Water

- River: hé ( )
- Wash: xǐ ( )

Rì

Time or Day

- Time: shí ( )
- Early: zǎo ( )

Nǚ

Female

- Good: hǎo ( )
- Mom: mā ma ( )

Yué

Moon

- Wear: fú ( )
- Friend: péng yǒu (

Zú

Foot

- Kick: tī ( )
- Run: pǎo ( )

Shǒu

Hand

- Push: tuī ( )
- Pull: lā ( )

Yán

Language

- Talk: shuō huà (
- Language: yú yán

Kǒu

Mouth

- Sing: chàng ( )
- Drink: hé ( )

Zǐ

Child

- Child: hǎi zi ( )
- Diligent: zī ( )


The above is not an exhaustive list as there are also radicals that are present in
other areas of the Chinese character
...
There are more than 200 radicals in Mandarin,
which means that even by learning two radicals per week, you are going to be
studying them for quite some time
...
It is going to take a good couple of months, and even years,
until you have mastery over the language
...
As using the correct
pronoun shows a heightened level of respect when conversing with native
speakers, ensure that you have a good understanding of it
...

● Week 3: It is highly likely that you will need to interact with a host family
or a native speaker of Mandarin
...

● Week 4: Learning about how to communicate your level of Mandarin
language capability, even if it is not much, is a fantastic way to let others
know to simplify thoughts so you can understand them better
...


● Week 5: You will most likely find yourself lost in a country where
Mandarin is a native language
...
With that being said, this week you will need to
focus on the radical, especially seeing as it refers to all characters that
have to do with “directions”
...
However, in order
to do that, one needs to know the radical
...

● Week 7: The radical needs to be studied, especially if one must seek
medical help
...

● Week 8: Being able to express yourself as well as your concerns is
important
...
The radical that you should look
for is
...
There are a bunch of
resources available online that list the 200 radicals
...

What you further need to ensure is that you do not forget what you have learned
in previous weeks, especially as some of the characters with specific radicals
will begin to build on one another
...
Remember that adjusting your schedule does
not mean that you are a failure but rather that you are cognizant of your own
abilities and want to ensure that you fully understand the context of the content
before moving on
...
With many linguists believing
that tones did not exist during the use of Old Chinese, they do play a vital
component in differentiating the meaning of words
...
There are many ways to learn how to pronounce tones, but
it is important that tones are learned and pronounced correctly in order to ensure
the topic of a conversation is maintained
...
These are as follows:
● First tone: This tone is referred to as “ping” ( ) and is typically
pronounced at a level but higher pitch
...

● Second tone: When pronouncing this tone, start off at a lower pitch, rising
to end at a slightly higher pitch
...

● Third tone: Probably one of the most difficult tones to master, this one
will have you start at a neutral tone, dipping to a lower pitch and then
rising back to where you initially started
...
In pinyin, its accentuation is ǎ
...
Called “ru” ( ), it
is often compared to the forcefulness of reprimanding another person
...

To provide some context regarding how important tones are, below is a table
where the pinyin uses the same lettering but has different tones:
Pinyin

Chinese character

Meaning

mā

/

Mother

má
mǎ

Hemp
/

Horse

mà

/

Scold

Learning tones is not going to be easy; it requires a lot of practice
...
At the
very beginning, you will start to hear and analyze every individual tone
...
Even though you can hear that there is a
distinct difference, if asked to replicate or reproduce that specific tone, you will
most likely not be able to do it
...

Typically, especially when you have conversed quite a lot, there is the
development of a “3-second memory”
...
This is why there
needs to be constant repetition regarding the initials, tones, and finals
...

A step-by-step process by which tone combinations should be tackled first is
written below
...
When this happens, the written pinyin will
remain the same
...

● Tone 1 - Tone 3
● Tone 2 - Tone 1
● Tone 3 - Tone 4
● Tone 3 - Tone 1
● Tone 1 - Tone 2

● Tone 4 - Tone 1
● Tone 4 - Tone 3
● Tone 3 - Tone 2
There will be times where you make tons of mistakes
...

This is to be celebrated, as it shows that you are one step closer to learning
Mandarin
...
You will know that you are starting to progress when you are
able to identify and imitate a tone on a new word that you have yet to learn
...
Typically, it will have three components
...
All three of these components need to be present in order
for a Chinese character to be successfully represented by it
...

In Mandarin, initials are also referred to as starting sounds
...
Do not stress if this is yet to make sense as we are still going to delve into
each respective component of pinyin before piecing everything together
...
By merging this table with an online resource that
verbally sounds it out, you will be able to make sense of them quicker and
easier
...
In Mandarin, there are initials
that are a little bit more difficult to pronounce and consist of two letters
...
The zh , ch , sh , and r sounds are pronounced with your
tongue curled up and touching your palate while pronouncing the sound
...
These can be rather
tricky, so ensure that you spend as much time as necessary in order to really
perfect these pronunciations
...

zh

Tongue curled up, sounds like “ch” in English but has a more
solid sound like the “ds” in buds

ch

Tongue curled up, sounds like “ch” in English but has a
sharper sound like the “ts” in cats

sh

Tongue curled up, sounds like “sh” in English, as in shape

r

Tongue curled up, pronounced as in English, as in ring

z

Pronounced as tz, with a soft t

c

Pronounced as ts, as in cats

s

Pronounced as in English, like sin

Semivowels are seen as pieces of literature that exist in between a vowel and a
consonant
...
However, when referring to Mandarin, there are some letters that can be
used as either an initial, semivowel, or final
...
e
...
The only alteration is the manner by which the semivowels will be
written
...
Thus, the following changes are
made when using a semivowel in isolation:
● When the semivowel “i” is used, it is written in pinyin as “yi”
...

● When the semivowel “ü” is used, it is written in pinyin as “yu”
...

Finals are the last part of pinyin that is necessary for it to be completely
understood
...
The only exceptions to
the rule where a final can stand on its own is with: ê, ei, and eng
...

a

Pronounced as “ah”, as in ah!

o

Pronounced as “oe”, as in toe

e

Pronounced as “uh”, as in duh

ê

Pronounced as “eh”, as in ten

ai

Pronounced as “ie”, as in lie

ei

Pronounced as “ay”, as in bay

ao

Pronounced as “ou”, as in loud

ou

Pronounced as “oe”, as in toe (same as the above “o”)

an

Pronounced as “un”, as in undo

en

Pronounced as “in”, as in Finland

ang

Pronounced as “ung”, as in sung

eng

Pronounced similarly to the above “en” but with the “ng”
pronounced as in English, as in sing or fang

er

Pronounced as “ur”, as in fur

The following table will provide some examples of finals that are grouped with
initials or are appended with semivowels
...

This is why we recommend that you fully understand and have conceptualized
one sound before moving on to the next
...

This is completely normal
...

You will never find the semivowel “u” after any of these four initials
...
With that being
said, when you start to practice drawing Chinese characters, you will need to do
it in a specific order
...
It will be important to learn the names of the strokes, especially
when using more advanced Mandarin resources in the future
...
This is why, for ease of
understanding, under each stroke, an explanation and picture has been included
...
Yī () is the name of the character for the number one
...
If you want to
focus on the calligraphy aspect of the stroke, you will see that there are very
evident areas of being pushed down at either end of the stroke
...
It is a vertical line that is typically combined
with the héng brush stroke
...
It is in this case that we need to take
into consideration the order of strokes
...
A fun fact regarding
this character is that it resembles the Roman numeral ten (X) if it were to be
placed at an angle
...
When we look at the calligraphy of this character, the same rules
apply for the héng stroke
...
e
...
A visual
representation is as follows:

There are two diagonal strokes that are present as a component of many more
complex Chinese characters
...
Tackling piě
first (the blue brush stroke in the image below), it is one of the brush strokes that
makes up the character for “person”, known in Mandarin as rén ()
...
It then moves at an angle,
down toward the bottom-left where the brush or pen will leave the paper
...
However, in this example,
the nà stroke will start in the middle of the piě stroke
...
This stroke,
calligraphically, will always start at the top left and then angle downward to the

bottom-right
...
A visual representation of this brush stroke is as follows:

There are many simple strokes in Mandarin
...
However, although it is
seen as a small dot, it is a lot more than a very simple and quick up and down
motion
...
It will then be lifted to mimic a dot
...
Referring to the number six character below, the diǎn is
above the héng stroke
...
This can be visually represented as follows:

Kicking everything up a notch, the next brush stroke is tí ()
...
This is comprised of two
different characters, “shǒu” () which stands for hand, and “gē” () which
represents a spear
...
It is
calligraphically represented by an upward movement that darts toward the righthand side, being completed with a pointed end
...
This term
refers to two different movements of brush strokes that are joined together
without lifting the brush or pen
...
To see this stroke clearly, we will refer to the Chinese character
for “write”, called “xiě” ( )
...

To calligraphically explain this entire character, we will break it down into
segments
...
Below, one can see the pictograph of a bird,
representing that of a magpie
...
The downward shù stroke is terminated by a flick in order to give the hooklike appearance of gou
...
Describing the character below, it represents the
lines that cross over the palm of a hand
...
Keep in
mind that this character is also the radical for wǒ that was discussed previously
...
This will
then result in the stroke you see below, called “wan gou” ( )
...
It then ends in a hook as it states in his name
...
This character can be visually represented as follows:

When we look at the “wǒ” ( ) character (the character for “I”), it does not only
consist of a “tí” ( ) stroke
...
How this segment of the character is calligraphically represented is by
starting at the top, angling the brush or pen in a way that is curved toward the
right-hand side
...
This is created by the brush or pen
being lifted from the paper quickly as the brush or pen moves to the right
...
When
we look at the horizontal ping stroke, it can be combined with a hook in order to
create “ping guo” ( )
...
This character has three dots and is very
common, specifically as it gives the addition of “emotion” onto a character
...
Calligraphically, the ping guo will start at the top
and move straight down, curving to the right and ending in a hook
...
Often, there are two strokes that are used to create a right-angled
stroke
...
This is
combined with the two strokes joined by the sharp turn, with the result being
“shu zhe” ( )
...

Calligraphically, this stroke requires a very delicate hand
...

Effectively, one is able to visualize this stroke as a shù stroke that is followed by
a héng stroke combined into a single action
...
A visual representation of this
character is as follows:

There is a very typical box-shaped character that is incorporated in the word
“mouth” called “kǒu” ( ) in Mandarin
...
This specific stroke is
created by making a horizontal stroke to the right, followed by a pause, then
going downward
...
The radical
that refers to kǒu is used readily in situations where speech or eating is
described
...
It is possible that
three or more brush strokes can be combined in a variety of ways
...
This stroke follows
the sequence of shù and wan, ending with a hooked gōu
...
Calligraphically, this
stroke is drawn by making a very short vertical line downward, curving to the
right, and finishing with an upward flick
...
The yě
character is an important one to remember as it plays a part in the creation of
characters for the personal pronouns “he” and “she”
...
This looks like a
letter “V” that has been turned 90 degrees to the right
...
The pie dan stroke forms a part of the character
“woman”, known as “nǚ” ( )
...
Negatively, it has been used in
describing women as being jealous or angry, whereas on a more positive note
this radical is also found in the characters for good and peace
...
This stroke is called “shu zhe zhe gou” ( )
...
When we break down shu
zhe zhe gou, calligraphically, we will start with a shu stroke moving downward
...
This stroke is typically seen in the Chinese character “horse”,
represented by “mǎ” ( )
...
Not only will this
ensure that you are able to draw Chinese characters correctly, but it will also
save you time as you will become well accustomed to the steps necessary to
correctly draw a character
...

The rules regarding brush strokes, are as follows:
● Rule 1: When drawing horizontal strokes, it is important to do so as the
first stroke in a character
...
To obey this rule, you will need to draw the
stroke horizontally across and, only from there, move down if the
character requires it
...


● Rule 2: If you are faced with a character that consists of both piě and nà,
the strokes are to be drawn from left to right
...
An example showing how the
left falling, then right falling rule is obeyed can be seen with the Chinese
character for “person”, known as “rén” ()
...
Historically, the
reason for this was to prevent smudging of the characters when the
numbers one, two, and three were drawn calligraphically
...

The Chinese translation of the number three is “sān” ()
...

With this being much easier for right-handed people, it may still take quite
a bit of practice
...
This
character, as well as the compliance to this rule, is depicted as follows:

● Rule 5: Always work from the outside to the inside
...
An example of where this rule is used is the word “together”,
translated to Mandarin as “tóng” ( )
...
This is diagrammatically depicted as
follows:

● Rule 6: If the character has a completed box, the sealing stroke is done
last
...
Typically, the sealing stroke is a horizontal
stroke that is drawn at the bottom of the character
...
To depict this, we will
look at the word “country”, translated into Madarin as “guó” ( )
...
What this does is create symmetry for ease of reading and
writing
...
This central stroke is depicted, using
xiǎo, as follows:

● Rule 8: A rule that is more focused on personal preference is the drawing
of the character dots
...
Others find it easier to end with the dot
...
However, to reiterate,
this is all based on personal preference
...
What this requires
from us is the ability to adapt to these changes by learning different languages
...
When we learn another language, it requires effort,
patience, and time
...

With that being said, we are going to tackle what could possibly go wrong while
learning a new language, as well as what you can do to rectify these issues
...
However, it is important to
realize that you are not alone in this regard
...
Before tackling
what we can do to fix the problems, we need to first focus on what could go
wrong
...
Take a look below
...
Feeling discouraged by the mistakes that you make
...
We can go
even further to say that mistakes are important
...
As soon as you change your

mindset so that mistakes are actually a fun part of the process, you will begin to
see that the errors you are making are not as bad as they seem
...
The quicker that you are able to deal with them, the
better
...
Not understanding the manner by which you learn
...

One needs to understand what their learning style is, because the means by
which we retain and interact with information is completely different
...
Some of the questions they will ask may
include, “Do you prefer reading about your interests over and above listening to
them?”, or, “Do you prefer a more hands-on approach when learning new
concepts?” It is when you can understand yourself that you will be able to
establish a tailored discipline toward learning and retaining what you learn
during your journey
...
Not starting off with the sounds
...
With so many individuals not starting this way, they are already
creating an unstable foundation, as well as more difficulty in learning Mandarin
...
By not starting with this first, you are already putting yourself at a
disadvantage
...
Your main focus is on the incorrect vocabulary
...
Mandarin
possesses such a wide variety of different categories, which can make it seem
rather difficult when needing to choose which ones to focus on
...
The words in these categories are
simple enough to get you conversing with others, as well as diverse enough in
order to ensure that you are practicing all the sounds necessary as a beginner
...
Poor construction of sentence vocabulary
...
There are a key amount of expressions that many
beginners in Mandarin learn, especially if they want to travel to a country where
Mandarin is the native language
...
Learning these common expressions will help
you grasp the context of Mandarin faster while also building confidence for
when you speak to native speakers
...
This will further result in you not being able to be corrected by others,
ultimately slowing down the learning process
...
Referring to these different verbs, there are numerous examples in
the next chapter
...


6
...

When you start learning Mandarin, it is important that you do not fixate too
much on the grammar
...
Grammar lessons will come later, and in terms of Mandarin,
not learning it immediately will not hinder your progress in learning the
language
...
Worrying too much on pronunciation
...
It is
when one becomes stagnated in wanting to be perfect in one’s pronunciation,
that progression is hindered
...
In this case, when you learn
Mandarin, you might want to make the distinction in pronunciation as clear as
possible
...

This is one of the first hurdles that you will need to overcome
...

Try your best to speak to native Mandarin speakers as much as possible, as they
will be more than willing to point out errors in your pronunciation
...


8
...

One of the first tests to see how far you have progressed in learning Mandarin is
to try your skills by speaking with a native speaker
...
Instead of only focusing on speaking, try intently listening to the
native speakers talk
...
However, allow yourself the time to learn instead of feeling upset
...



9
...

We need to remember that we all live our own lives
...
However, we
cannot let one instance dictate our progress, especially when it comes to
Mandarin
...
This may even result in giving up on learning
Mandarin completely
...
Reminding yourself
of why you are studying Mandarin can also be a good method for shifting your
mindset toward a more positive one
...
Unfortunately, these mistakes tend to happen more often than we think,
especially when learning Mandarin
...
Adults tend to feel embarrassed when they
make a seemingly “silly” mistake
...

When one makes a mistake, they tend to overthink absolutely everything
...
It is when mistakes start
to be made during the studying process that most Mandarin language students
will choose to give up
...

Psychologist Lev Vygotsky believed that those who succeed were those who
failed the most
...
The biggest error you can make is not making any mistakes at all
...

However, what can we do about it? Here are seven ways to embrace the
mistakes that you learn as you study Mandarin:

1
...

If you have an ego, it is important that you come to terms with learning to let go
of it
...
The fact is that you are on the same
playing field as everyone else who is wanting to learn Mandarin
...
It is important that you start to integrate yourself into online groups
with people who are at the same learning stage as you
...

If you find yourself uncomfortable in conversation, lean on your emotions rather
than your ego
...
Start by smiling, apologizing, and then
informing them that you are trying your best to study Mandarin and are fully
aware that it’s not perfect
...
When you admit that you are not perfect, others will understand and
appreciate the effort that you are making in learning their language, even if your
language use is riddled with mistakes
...
Try not to compare yourself to others
...
It is even worse when you find
yourself comparing your progress to native speakers or advanced learners
...
This means that you are going to
want to spend a lot of time on repetition, time which others may have more of
...

Some people are natural extroverts, so speaking comes more natural to them
than with an introvert
...
Some who start
learning Mandarin may have a rather musical ear, meaning that the nuances
regarding pronunciation can be picked up a lot easier, while others may find it
difficult to really hear the subtle differences in the tones of Mandarin
pronunciation
...

Each individual has their own unique journey that’s based on not only their

personalities, but also their current life circumstances
...
Imitating another person’s learning style will
only provide you with ineffective study sessions, setting you even further back
...

Know yourself and what works for you, as well as what does not
...
After all, there are
those who would never envision learning another language, so you are already
one step ahead!

3
...

Self-confidence is imperative when learning a new language
...
It does not matter if
you are washing your car, making dinner, or feeding the dog s — challenge
yourself to speak to yourself within the context of the action that you are doing
...
What is suggested to do in Mandarin is explore the pros and
cons, as well as what your dreams, aspirations, fears, and concerns are
...
The monologues that you will end up
having with yourself are fantastic ways to train, especially when one of your end
goals is to be able to talk to people
...


4
...

In order for you to overcome any form of fear related to speaking Mandarin, you
will need to understand the mistakes that you have made, as well as
systematically work through each one
...


These are listed below:
● You make mistakes because you do not know something
...

If you were able to identify your mistakes as fitting the first case, then your
solution is to identify what knowledge you are lacking, then learn it
...
The latter is a very common occurrence
for those who are learning Mandarin
...

Studying with a teacher would also prove beneficial in this case as they can
directly help you identify any gaps that you have in your knowledge, suggesting
ways to fix them
...
Remember that when you
find yourself erroneously using a specific tone, or you forget a word when it
comes to using it, it does not have any representation of your intelligence level
...

If you find yourself repetitively forgetting a specific word, write it down on a
flashcard, and whenever you find yourself with some time to spare, go over all
the words you keep forgetting
...
Take it step by step
...
They had to learn it, and it took time
...

An example of this is a beginner in Mandarin who is not used to making the
tones of the new language
...
As you move

from the beginner phase of Mandarin to the intermediate phase, you will not
make fewer mistake s , you will just make more complex ones
...
However, you need to find time within
these steps to be proud of how far you have already come
...
This strengthens one’s confidence as they
begin to realize that they are capable of learning Mandarin
...
Focus on your communication skills
...
As soon as you allow your mind to drift, you will lose your train and
thought, with the result being ineffective communication
...
The
task that you have when communicating is not to sound perfect when doing so,
but rather to ensure that you get your message across
...
It is at this
point that you should celebrate, because you have taken one more step in
becoming fluent in Mandarin
...

However, it is important that you do not let your mistakes hinder your progress
of completing real tasks in Mandarin
...
You will learn a new Mandarin phrase,
apply it to a conversation that you are having, and then look for the next phrase
to learn or build an already existing one
...
Confide in yourself
...
Often, when we learn
Mandarin, we get angry for not remembering one character
...
This is when we need to allow our brains to take control, trusting
ourselves in the process
...
You will find yourself
feeling awestruck by its capabilities when you remember the word that you
could not recall that morning whilst lying peacefully in your bed
...
It is when we are in a stressed state that we
freeze up, making errors that we would not typically make
...
You must also trust the process
...
These fears need to be dealt with in a calm,
collected, and healthy manner, or the repercussions could end up hindering your
Mandarin progress even more
...
Now it is time to
apply some elbow grease as you start to learn some categories of Mandarin
words
...
This is not an exhaustive list
...


Pronouns and Genders
Pronouns
I, Me

Wǒ

You

Nǐ

You (formal

Nín

Him, he

Tā

Her, she

Tā

It

Tā

Him, Her
beings)
It (animals)

(godly/divine

Tā
Tā

Plural pronoun
Us

Wǒmen

Them

Tāmen

You guys

Nǐmen

Possessive pronoun
Mine

Wǒ de

Ours

Wǒmen de

Yours

Nǐ de

Yours (plural)

Nǐmen de

His

Tā de

Hers

Tā de

Theirs

Tāmen de

Its

Tā de

Reflective pronouns
Myself

Wǒ zìjǐ

Yourself

Nǐ zìjǐ

Himself

Tā zìjǐ

Herself

Tā zìjǐ

Itself

Tā zìjǐ

Genders
Male

Nán

Female

Nǚ

Male animal

Gōng

Female animal

Mǔ

Greetings and Saying Farewell

Hello

Nǐhǎo

Hello (formal)

Nínhǎo

How are you?

Nǐhǎo ma

I am good

Wǒ hěnhǎo

Thank you

Xièxiè

And you?

Nǐne?

How have you been?

Nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma

Long time no see/it has
been a while


Hǎojiǔ bùjiàn

(the bù is read as b ú

Good morning

Zǎo ān

Good afternoon

Wǔ ān

Good evening/good night

Wǎn'ān

Pleased to meet you

/

Xìng huì/ Gāoxìng
rèn chí nǐ

Goodbye/see you again

Zàijiàn

Let us meet soon

Wǒmen zài yuē

I’m off/I’m leaving

Wǒ zǒule

Family Members
Mom

Māmā

Mother

Mǔqīn

Dad

Bàba

Father

Fùqīn

Husband

/

Lǎogōng/zhàngfū

Wife

/

Lǎopó/qīzi

Son

Érzi

Daughter

Nǚ'ér

Son-in-law

Nǚxù

Daughter-in-law

Xífù

Child

Háizi

Older brother

Gēgē

Younger brother

Dìdì

Older sister

Jiě jie

Younger sister

Mèi mei

Grandfather (father’s side)

Yéyé

Grandfather (mother’s side)

Wàigōng

Grandmother (father’s side)

Nǎinai

Grandmother (mother’s side)

Wàipó

Aunt (father’s side)

Gūgū

Uncle (father’s brother-in-law)

Gūzhàng

Aunt (mother’s side)

Āyí

Uncle (mother’s brother-in-law)

Yízhàng

Uncle (father’s older brother)

Bóbo

Aunt (father’s older sister-inlaw)

Bómǔ

Uncle (father’s younger brother)

Shūshu

Aunt (father’s younger sister-inlaw)

Shěnshen

Uncle (mother’s brother)

Jiùjiu

Aunt (mother’s sister-in-law)

Jiùmā

Cousin (older male paternal
cousin)

Táng gē

Cousin (older female paternal
cousin)

Táng jiě

Cousin (younger male paternal
cousin)

Táng dì

Cousin (younger female paternal
cousin)

Táng mèi

Cousin (older male maternal
cousin)

Biǎo gē

Cousin (older female maternal
cousin)

Biǎo jiě

Cousin (younger male maternal
cousin)

Biǎo dì

Cousin
(younger
maternal cousin)

Biǎo mèi

female

Grandson (from son)

Sūnzi

Granddaughter (from son)

Sūnnǚ

Grandson (from daughter)

Wàisūn

Granddaughter (from daughter)

Wàisūnnǚ

Nephew (from brother)

Zhízi

Nephew (from sister)

Zhínǚ

Niece (from brother)

Wài shěn

Niece (from sister)

Wài shěn nǚ

Verbs
Accept

Jiēshòu

Add

Zēngjiā

Admire

Xīnshǎng

Apologize

Dàoqiàn

Ask

Wèn

Become

Chéngwéi

Believe

Xiāngxìn

Bring

Dài

Borrow

Jiè

Buy

/

Gòumǎi/mǎi

Change

Gēnggǎi

Choose

Xuǎnzé

Climb

Pá

Complete

Wánchéng

Cry

Kū

Decide

Juédìng

Deny

Jùjué

Dream

Mèngxiǎng

Drink
Drive (ca r

Hē
( )

Kāi (chē)

Eat

Chī

Enjoy

Xiǎngshòu

Examine

Jiǎnchá

Explain

Shuōmíng

Fall

Shuāi dǎo

Feel

Gǎnjué

Fly

Fēi

Forget

Wàngjì

Get

Dédào

Give

Gěi

Hide

Duǒ

Hit

Dǎ

Hug

Yǒngbào

Introduce

Jièshào

Jog

Mànpǎo

Joke

Kāiwánxiào

Jump

Tiào

Kick

Tī

Kiss

Wěn

Laugh

Xiào

Leave

Líkāi

Look

Kàn

Meet

Yù dào

Need

Xūyào

Open

Dǎkāi

Pay

Fù

Practice

Liànxí

Prepare

Zhǔnbèi

Push

Tuī

Quit

Fàngqì

Read

Dú

Relax

Fàngsōng

Remember

Jìdé

Run

Pǎo

Say

Shuō

Sell

Mài

Sing

Chàng

See

Kàn

Speak

Shuōhuà

Stand

Zhàn

Study

Dúshū

Take

Ná

Think

Xiǎng

Try

Shì

Understand

Lǐjiě

Wait

Děngdài

Walk

Zǒu

Wash

Xǐ

Write

Xiě

Numbers
Zero

Líng

One

Yī / Yāo

Yāo is mainly used when reading out phone numbers or sequence of
numbers
...

Èr is also used when referring to positioning, i
...
, second place (Dì èr
míng)
...
At this point, you should be well acquainted with the historical
significance of the Mandarin language, as well as be familiar with where it can
be utilized both in your personal life and beyond
...
Remember,
your journey doesn't end here; this is only the beginning
...
Now that you have successfully conquered this first book, you should
be well apt to learn all of the Mandarin words within it, and you should also be
able to start constructing some short and concise sentences
...

Not only will it aid you in fine-tuning your character writing skills, but it
will also show you where there are gaps in your knowledge, as well as
which rules need to be revisited to fill these gaps
...

● Why not try the HSK test? The HSK is a fantastic method for testing how
well your reading, writing, listening, and speech have progressed
...

● Start to follow the steps as mentioned in the previous chapters about fully
integrating yourself within Mandarin
...
Also, try your best to find a native
speaker with whom you can practice your speech and listening skills and
who will correct you when you make a mistake
...

It is important to remember that you need to consistently be reviewing and

learning new words
...

Make sure you are confident in your current abilities before you traverse into a
new category of information
...
Your next focus will be to incorporate what you
currently know into your everyday life
...
You remained
determined, dedicated, and realistic in your goal-setting in order to reach the end
of this book
...
Do
not beat yourself up when you erroneously use a tone that was not there
...

You have come this far and will continue to venture even further
...
Never forget that you are capable of more than you
think you are
...



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Edu
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