Posted in

How can I learn to read Chinese if I already speak Mandarin?

How can I learn to read Chinese if I already speak Mandarin?

“I speak Mandarin with my family, but how can I learn to read?” “I can read some Chinese characters, how can I learn more?” and “I used to be fluent in Chinese, but I’ve forgotten it. How can I regain this and learn to read?” are common questions asked by many people of Chinese heritage around the world.

Technology and the internet have changed our world in unimaginable ways and have affected how we learn languages. With access to millions of hours of content from all over the world, learning and improving a language couldn’t be easier, especially if you already have some experience with Chinese.

I’m a heritage speaker from a Cantonese-speaking background. I’ve been learning Mandarin Chinese for over five years. In this post, I will show you ways you, as someone with a background in Mandarin, can quickly and easily improve your reading abilities!

Posted in

Best Chinese Historical Dramas for Newcomers

Best Chinese Historical Dramas for Newcomers

Chinese historical drama (also known as costume or period drama) is gaining popularity in the global entertainment space.

They are a brilliant form of escapist entertainment, but due to their traditional, cultural, and historical references and nuances, they’re not easy to understand if you’re completely new to them.

Whether you are interested in diving into Chinese historical drama or are a Chinese second-language learner looking to consume more content, I have just the right recommendations for you.

I’ve put together a list of interesting Chinese historical dramas with straightforward plots and not much politics. I feel these types of shows are perfect for newcomers to the genre.

Posted in

Easy-to-follow Chinese historical dramas for language learners

Easy-to-follow Chinese historical dramas for language learners

Chinese historical dramas (also known as costume/period dramas) can be particularly challenging for second-language learners. They are rich in historical and cultural references, and along with formal dialogue and archaic language, the comprehension difficulty is much higher than that of modern dramas.

With the rising popularity and sheer volume of available drama on international platforms, it’s overwhelming for newcomers to the genre and Chinese language learners to figure out where to begin.

To make your immersion journey easier, I have put together a selection of historical-theme Chinese dramas that not only provide an excellent introduction to the genre but are also well-suited for language learners to start picking up common vocabulary.

Posted in

《成何体统》 How Dare You!? – Transmigration historical Chinese drama with a twist

《成何体统》 How Dare You!? – Transmigration historical Chinese drama with a twist

《成何体统》 How Dare You!? is not just another historical Chinese drama that features a transmigrator as the main character; it features multiple transmigrators.

I first discovered this series from a clip on social media from the animation (动画 – donghua), which showed two transmigrators speaking English to each other. This instantly caught my attention, and I went on to watch season 1 of the animation, which I absolutely loved!

The completed live-action was released before the full season 2 of the animation was released, so I had to binge-watch it.

Is 成何体统 any different from other transmigration shows? Let’s discuss.

Posted in

My Time at Sandrock 《沙石镇时光》 – The best RPG by a Chinese indie studio

My Time at Sandrock 《沙石镇时光》 – The best RPG by a Chinese indie studio

My Time at Sandrock is the second instalment of the My Time series, created by an independent studio in China, Pathea Games.

The My Time series games are very high quality, with over 70 hours of storyline, and most of the dialogues are voiced in both Mandarin Chinese and English.

The two games, My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock, are huge favourites of the cosy gaming community. After many years of putting it off, I finally played My Time at Sandrock.

Posted in

Loved 《逐玉》 Pursuit of Jade? Watch These Historical Chinese Dramas Next

Loved 《逐玉》 Pursuit of Jade? Watch These Historical Chinese Dramas Next

Pursuit of Jade has hit the world by storm, and everyone has been talking about it. You’re probably here because you’ve just finished Pursuit of Jade and don’t know what to watch next.

If Pursuit of Jade is your first Chinese historical drama, then you’ve just stepped into a whole new world of beautiful costumes, visuals and heart-dripping stories. Sleep may become a problem.

Below are five Chinese historical dramas that I recommend, with a little bonus at the end.

Posted in

Best eReaders for Chinese second language learners

Best eReaders for Chinese second language learners

E-reader devices, also known as e-ink readers (阅读器), are devices made with an e-ink screen which gives a paper-like experience. They are designed for extended reading sessions, are easy on the eyes, and perform better in bright light than LCD tablets like iPads.

They make great companions for avid readers and those who want a distraction-free study tool.

There are many devices on the market, but Chinese learners have different requirements compared to other users who are only looking to read in their native language.

Posted in

《逐玉》 Pursuit of Jade Review – Romance between a noble and a village girl

《逐玉》 Pursuit of Jade Review – Romance between a noble and a village girl

Pursuit of Jade 《逐玉》 took the world by storm as the most-watched and most-talked-about Chinese historical drama of 2026, globally!

I started watching Pursuit of Jade 《逐玉》, just as the negative comments about the male lead’s pretty face, and the drama gained global attention. If you’re not aware of this, I will discuss this a bit more later…

So does Pursuit of Jade 《逐玉》 live up to its hype, and is the male lead too pretty for the role?

Posted in

4 Essential Tips to Tackle Chinese Historical Novels

4 Essential Tips to Tackle Chinese Historical Novels

Being able to read historical novels with ease is one of the greatest and most inspiring goals for Chinese language learners, but it’s, without a doubt, extremely challenging.

In this post, I’m going to share 4 essential tips to help you tackle this difficult journey into Chinese historical novels right away!

But, before we jump into the tips, let’s first clarify the terms “historical novels”.

Posted in

《放学等我》- An amazing approachable school setting danmei

《放学等我》- An amazing approachable school setting danmei

《放学等我》 is among the top-rated school setting webnovel in the Chinese fandom, and rightly so!

I’m not usually a fan of stories with a modern-day school setting because I don’t find the lives of school students particularly interesting. Probably also because I don’t want to be reminded of my school life.

Nevertheless, 《放学等我》 is a school-setting web novel that I highly rate and truly enjoyed. The story is well written and well paced, and the characters have great chemistry.