SayMei Guides
Deeply researched answers to the questions Chinese learners ask most, so you can learn faster.
Best AI apps to learn Chinese: 9 tutors compared
Speak, SuperChinese, Talkpal, ChatGPT, Gemini and four more AI tutors, compared on speaking, tones, free use and price.
HSK exam guide: levels, format, scores and a plan to pass
The HSK changes on 13 December 2026. Which version you'll sit, each level's format, pass marks, deadlines, fees and speaking, plus a study planner.
The best apps to learn Chinese, by goal
One app for each job: the best Chinese course, dictionary, flashcard, reading, handwriting and speaking apps for your goal, with prices checked in October 2026.
HSK 3.0 explained: what changed from HSK 2.0, and is it actually better?
HSK 3.0 starts 13 December 2026: nine levels, 300 words at HSK 1, speaking from HSK 3. We compared all 4,992 HSK 2.0 words with the new lists.
Mandarin vs Cantonese: how much do they really overlap?
We compared 100 core words, 1,004 Hong Kong sentences and 29,969 shared words. Half the basic words match; the speech mostly doesn't. Plus which to learn.
How to speak Chinese: what the research says, and how to practise
Speaking is a separate skill from understanding. What research says works for speaking Mandarin, a 4/3/2 drill to try now and a routine for solo learners.
Chinese pronunciation for English speakers: the sounds that trip you up
Most Mandarin sounds exist in English; a handful don't. Hear zh, ch, sh, r, j, q, x, ü and e against their near-twins, and learn where your tongue goes.
Chinese idioms (chengyu): the most common ones and the stories behind them
The 100 most common Chinese idioms (chengyu), counted in 160 million characters of film, TV and news, plus the stories behind the famous ones.
How to learn Chinese: what the research says works
A study method for adult English speakers built from 35+ studies: spaced self-testing, tone training, frequent words first, input and corrected speaking.
How to read Chinese: from pinyin to your first real book
To read Chinese without help you need about 98% of the words on the page. We measured what each HSK level gets you in stories, TV and the news.
Online Chinese tutors compared: italki, Preply, schools and AI by cost per speaking minute
We read the prices of 763 italki Chinese tutors and checked Preply, Verbling, GoEast and more: what each costs per minute you speak, and when AI is enough.
Is Chinese hard to learn? What's actually hard, and what's easier than you think
Mandarin takes English speakers about 2,200 class hours, but the difficulty is lopsided: what's steep, what's easy, and a map for your own background.
Simplified vs Traditional Chinese: the history, the differences, and which to learn
Simplified or Traditional? 35% to 41% of the 1,000 most common characters differ. Where each script is used, how they split, and which to learn first.
Chinese dialects and accents: how close are they? We measured
We compared how 22 Chinese varieties say the same words, from Beijing to Hokkien, and clustered them. Plus Taiwan vs mainland Mandarin: accent, words, script.
Is Duolingo good for learning Chinese? What its screens train, checked against the research
Duolingo Chinese is free, habit-forming and about 6,000 words deep. But most answers are picked, not recalled, and no screen we found trains tones.
Chinese radicals: the few dozen that unlock most characters
There are 214 Chinese radicals, but 22 file half the characters on the HSK 1–4 lists. Which to learn first, what they mean and how they combine, measured.
How Chinese compares to other languages: a linguistic analysis
Mandarin next to English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Arabic, measured on open linguistic datasets. Pick your language.
The HSKK speaking test, explained: levels, format, scores and how to practise
From 13 December 2026 the HSKK becomes a speaking paper for each of HSK 3 to 6. Parts, timings, scoring, and a timer that runs each paper's real sequence.
The best HSK books and study materials, checked against the HSK 3.0 word lists
We checked HSK books and apps against the HSK 3.0 word lists. An old HSK 3 book covers about 60% of the new list. Our pick for each level, and why.
How long does it take to learn Mandarin? An honest timeline
Hours to every Mandarin goal, from a trip to HSK 4 to professional work, each traced to its source: FSI, Taiwan's TOCFL table and the HSK syllabus.
How many Chinese characters do you need? We measured it
Unicode lists 101,997 Chinese characters, but you need far fewer. We measured how much 1,000 to 3,000 characters let you read: signs, menus, news and novels.
The best apps to learn Chinese through stories and news
Du Chinese, The Chairman's Bao, Mandarin Companion, Maayot, LingQ, free readers and SayMei compared on price, library size, pictures and who reads the audio.
The Chinese family tree: what to call every relative
What to call every relative in Chinese: a family tree you can tap, a calculator for any chain like mum's brother's wife, and audio for every word.
The AP Chinese exam: the 2027 format, scores and how to practise speaking
From May 2027, AP Chinese speaking is a project talk and Q&A. The new format part by part, College Board score data, a 12-week plan and a speaking timer.
Anki vs Chinese flashcard apps: which one should you use?
Anki is free but you build it. Pleco, Skritter and Hack Chinese bring audio and HSK lists. Six Chinese flashcard apps compared, plus a review-load simulator.
How to learn Chinese tones as an adult: what research shows
Train your ear first, practise two-syllable words, keep the third tone low and get feedback on your voice. The evidence for each step, plus a tone lab.
Pimsleur Mandarin review: what 30 minutes a day actually teaches
Pimsleur's Mandarin course is 150 half-hour audio lessons. What its recall method does well, the character gap, prices from $14.95, and who should skip it.
The intermediate Chinese plateau: why HSK 3–4 stalls, and how to break it
Why Chinese progress slows after HSK 2, measured: new words add less and turn up less, and speaking lags. Our lesson data, and a check to find your fix.
Which Chinese songs can a beginner actually learn? We graded 50 hits
We graded 50 popular Chinese songs by HSK words, speed and repetition. Only five fit before HSK 5. Find the hits within your reach.
HelloChinese vs SuperChinese (and where Duolingo fits)
HelloChinese or SuperChinese? Prices, HSK levels, speaking and tone feedback, AI tutors and reading, checked in October 2026, plus where Duolingo fits.
You understand Chinese but can't speak it: a plan for heritage speakers
Grew up hearing Chinese but answer in English? What research, AP Chinese scores and our sign-up data show, plus a self-check that builds your weekly plan.
How much do beginners really speak in a first Chinese lesson? Data from 1,790 learners
In 1,790 first Chinese lessons, beginners spoke within 30 seconds and took a turn about every 23 seconds. What they said first, and where they got stuck.
The science of learning a language through stories, and what it means for Chinese
Reading stories works if you know 95–98% of the words. The research on extensive reading, the 98% rule, pinyin and audio, and how to use it for Chinese.
Can you learn Chinese through songs? What the research says
Songs help you remember Chinese words and phrases, but the melody overrides the tones. What history and research show, and how to learn from a song.
The most common Chinese grammar mistakes, from real learner writing
We counted 33,833 mistakes teachers marked in real learner essays. The ones learners make most, a fix for each, and a quick quiz to spot them yourself.
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