Have you been learning Mandarin Chinese for a while, are familiar with basic grammar, and know approximately 1500 words? If that’s you, then try out these 6 free danmei webnovels.
You don’t need an account; go straight to the website and start reading! I recommend setting up a browser popup Chinese -> English dictionary, such as ZhongWen, or reading the webnovels with the free mobile app Readibu.
Don’t forget to regularly review vocabulary using SRS (spaced repetition system) with tools like Anki or the paid Pleco SRS flashcard add-on.
I hope you will enjoy these as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I have personally read all these webnovels and believe they are good choices for Chinese learners.
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《做树真的好难》by 喝豆奶的狼
A cute short webnovel that follows a tree spirit who ventures into the human world to find the love of his life.
Simple and straightforward language with short sentences and paragraphs. The perfect first novel!
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《我与情敌互换了灵魂》by 一炷香
A very short, hilarious story of two university students swapping souls for one day a week.
Straightforward language. Written in first-person perspective, which could be challenging at first. Short sentences and paragraphs. A webnovel worth trying.
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《当你走进图书馆而书里夹了一枚书签》by 晚秋初十
* This webnovel is no longer free, and I’m currently looking for a replacement
A young man discovers a message on a bookmark at his local library. He writes a reply to the bookmark owner, and to his surprise, he finds a reply the following day.
Very short, with straightforward language and a touching plot. Highly recommended for all Chinese learners.
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《校草》by 青端
* This webnovel is no longer free, and I’m currently looking for a replacement
A simple short story about the main character’s complete obliviousness to the fact that his roommate has been in love with him for many years.
The narration is straightforward most of the time, with simple, modern vocabulary; however, there are some slightly more convoluted sentences, though nothing an AI translator can’t handle.
There are also some slang-style sentences, but it’s easy to figure out their rough meaning from context.
It is a great, relaxing, and funny read.
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《影帝的脑子坏了》by 许半仙
After a terrible car accident, a famous movie star seeks help from a psychologist. Soon, the psychologist finds himself falling in love with the movie star.
This webnovel is split into three parts: the present day, the past, and then back to the present day. The first part can be quite confusing, but it all clears up by the end of that section.
Straightforward writing with most of the plot involving day-to-day scenarios.
There is some entertainment, social media and mental health-specific vocabulary throughout. Some of the online slang will require a quick search online.
A good entry for picking up basic entertainment and social media terminology.
Content Warnings: Mental health. Doctor & client romance
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《找得着北》by 杏仁茶
A blind young man finds love through a mobile app designed to help those in need.
Each chapter is broken down into many short segments, perfect for short reading sessions.
Straightforward language and grammar throughout the main novel and the extra chapters. The initial burst of vocabulary related to mobile app usage can be challenging, but these are repeated throughout the rest of the main novel.
A great webnovel for learning modern terms.
