# Read Chinese Without Pinyin: A Guided Transition Workbook

Step down from full pinyin to none with six short stories and real reading strategies

Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/read-chinese-without-pinyin

## At a glance

- Level: Beginner · HSK 1
- Format: Workbook · PDF · 31 pages · US Letter (prints on A4)
- Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Oct 8, 2026

## Download

Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/read-chinese-without-pinyin. SayMei emails a copy too.

## A line from the workbook

我能看懂中文！ (Wǒ néng kàndǒng Zhōngwén!) — I can read Chinese!

## By the end you can

- Read six short stories as the pinyin steps down: full, then new words only, then none
- Work out new characters from radicals, word breaks and sentence order
- Read real messages, menus, notes and signs, printed the way Chinese appears in daily life

## What's inside

- Unit 1: Learn: Read the Hanzi Line First
- Reference: Ten Characters in Every Text
- Story 1: Lin Hao's Reading Goal
- Unit 1: Practice: Hanzi First, Pinyin Second
- Unit 2: Learn: Radicals Hint at Meaning · Learn: No Spaces: Find the Words
- Story 2: A Message from Xiaoyu
- Unit 2: Practice: Radicals and Word Breaks
- Unit 3: Learn: Tone Changes Characters Hide · Learn: Read the Last Character First
- Story 3: Dinner at the Noodle Shop
- Unit 3: Practice: Tones, Endings and Menus
- Reference: Look-Alike Characters
- Unit 4: Learn: Read Dates, Times and Prices
- Story 4: A Note from the Teacher
- Unit 4: Practice: Look-Alikes, Dates and Notes
- Unit 5: Learn: Describers Come Before the Noun · Learn: Time, Person, Place, Action
- Story 5: Xiaoyu's Saturday
- Unit 5: Practice: Nouns, Word Order and Story 5
- Reference: Signs You Can Read Today
- Unit 6: Learn: Skip, Guess, Keep Reading
- Story 6: A Postcard from Mei Lin
- Unit 6: Practice: Guess, Check and Read Signs
- Cards: Cut-Out Character Cards
- Review: Read It All Without Pinyin

## Who it's for

Beginners who know a little Mandarin and want to use it in real conversations.

## Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 31-page PDF is free, and the first two pages are on this page to look at before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

## 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 take a free lesson 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.

## Can I print copies for my class?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

Version 2026-10, updated Oct 8, 2026.