Chinese Speaking Games: 12 Printable Games with Cards for Learners

By the end you can

• Guess a hidden card with yes-or-no questions. Play Twenty Questions with 吗 at the end or 是不是 in front, answer only 是 or 不是, and win the card with 我猜是…
  是不是吃的？ · Shì bu shì chī de? · Is it something to eat?
• Describe a word without saying it. Say what kind of thing it is with 它是…的, what you do with it with 可以用它…, then add a colour or a place, while your partner guesses against a one-minute timer.
  可以用它打电话。 · Kěyǐ yòng tā dǎ diànhuà. · You can make calls with it.
• Talk for a full minute without stopping. Buy thinking time with 嗯 and 怎么说呢, and join short sentences with 然后 and 还有, on eight topic cards from your weekend to your job.
  然后，我们去吃饭了。 · Ránhòu, wǒmen qù chīfàn le. · Then we went out to eat.
• Count fast and guess prices in Chinese. Play Pass Seven (逢七过), clapping and saying 过 on every number with a 7 in it or that 7 goes into, then guess a price in 块 and steer with 高了 and 低了.
  高了！再低一点。 · Gāo le! Zài dī yìdiǎn. · Too high! Go lower.
• Build word chains and story chains. In 词语接龙 each word starts with the last character of the one before, like 中国 → 国家 → 家人. In the Story Chain you add lines with 然后 or 可是 to one of eight starter cards.
  大学，学生，生日。 · Dàxué, xuésheng, shēngrì. · University, student, birthday.
• Act out a shop, café or taxi scene and handle a surprise. Six role-play cards each hide a twist, read out halfway through: the café has no milk, the fruit costs double, the trains are full. You sort it out in Chinese.
  对不起，没有咖啡了，喝茶可以吗？ · Duìbuqǐ, méiyǒu kāfēi le, hē chá kěyǐ ma? · Sorry, we're out of coffee. Is tea OK?
• Run a 20-minute game night in Chinese. Follow the planner from a two-minute warm-up to the final score, and play through the review dialogue of a whole game night, rules to points.
  对了！你一分，我两分。该你了！ · Duì le! Nǐ yì fēn, wǒ liǎng fēn. Gāi nǐ le! · Right! You have one point, I have two. Your turn!

What’s inside

• Guessing Games: How to play: Twenty Questions: Is It...? · Cards: Eight Things to Guess
• Describe It: How to play: Describe It Without Saying It · Cards: Eight Words to Describe
• One-Minute Talk: How to play: Talk for One Minute · Cards: Eight Topics to Talk About
• Number Games: How to play: Pass Seven and Guess the Price · Play: Play, Count and Keep Score
• Chain Games: How to play: Word Chains and Story Chains · Cards: Eight Story Starters
• Role-Play: How to play: Shop, Café and Taxi Role-Plays · Cards: Six Role-Plays With a Twist
• Game night: Your 20-Minute Game Night
• Review: A Game Night, Start to Finish

How to use this book

Six game families, each with a how-to-play page and a card or play page. Play the free audio first and say each game line back in the pause, then print and cut the cards. One or two families a week gets you through all 12 games in a month.

1. Before you play: Print, cut and agree the house rule. Print the card pages, cut along the lines and keep each family's cards in their own pile. Agree on one rule: Chinese only at the table.
2. Week 1: Guessing games. Pages 3 and 4. Play Twenty Questions with the eight object cards, then try Who Am I? with a card on your forehead.
3. Week 2: Describe It and the One-Minute Talk. Pages 5 to 8. Describe words against a one-minute timer, then talk for a minute on a topic card, with 然后 and 还有 to keep going.
4. Week 3: Number and chain games. Pages 9 to 12. Play Pass Seven and Guess the Price with a score sheet, then a Word Chain and a ten-line Story Chain.
5. Week 4: Role-plays. Pages 13 and 14. Play each card for two minutes with its twist, then swap seats and play it again with a new request.
6. Every week after: A 20-minute game night. Use the planner on page 15, swap in a different game each time, and play the review dialogue on page 16. The answers are on page 17.

Who it’s for

Adult beginners who have someone to practise with: a partner, a family, friends or a class. The 12 games get you saying the words you already know out loud, and teachers can run them with pairs or small groups.

Before you start: Beginner Mandarin: numbers, simple questions with 吗 and everyday words like 手机 and 苹果. Every line has characters, pinyin and English, and the free audio reads each game line with a pause to say it back. You'll need scissors and at least one other player.

Frequently asked questions

Which 12 games are in the book?

Six families with two games each: Twenty Questions and Who Am I?, Describe It and Three Words, the One-Minute Talk and Question Time, Pass Seven and Guess the Price, the Word Chain and the Story Chain, and the Role-Play with Swap Seats. There are 38 printable cards in all.

How many players do the games need?

Two or more. Every game works with two players, such as a couple or a parent and a grown-up child. The role-plays are best with a third player who reads out the twist halfway through. With a class, play in pairs or small groups.

What Chinese do I need to play?

Beginner Mandarin: numbers, simple questions with 吗 and everyday words like 手机 and 苹果. Every game line has characters, pinyin and English. You'll also need scissors and at least one other player.

How should we work through the games?

One or two game families a week gets you through all 12 games in a month. After that, run a 20-minute game night with the planner on page 15, swap in a different game each time and play the review dialogue on page 16. The answers are on page 17.

Is there audio?

Yes, free on the book's page on saymei.app. Every game line is read with a pause to say it back, so you can practise the lines before a game night.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. Every game works with two players, so a class can play in pairs or small groups, and the role-plays work best with a third player who reads out the twist halfway through.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

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