Learning tips
Learn Chinese without burning out
Short, actionable posts on HSK vocabulary, character memorization, tones, and using FSRS spaced repetition to keep 90% retention.
- ·5 min read#HSK#Characters
Simplified vs Traditional Chinese: which should you learn?
Simplified (mainland China, Singapore) or Traditional (Taiwan, Hong Kong, diaspora)? A no-nonsense guide based on where you plan to use it, plus how to switch later without redoing years of study.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Writing
HSK 4 vocabulary cheatsheet for the writing section
HSK 4 writing needs about 200 high-yield words: connectors, opinion phrases, hedging, examples. This cheatsheet groups them so you can drop them into any 80-character essay.
- ·4 min read#HSK#Routine
A daily 10-minute Mandarin routine that actually sticks
You do not need 1 hour a day to learn Chinese. You need 10 minutes every day. The exact loop: 5 min review, 3 min new words, 2 min shadowing. Works for HSK 1 through HSK 4.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Characters
The 50 Chinese radicals that unlock 90% of characters
Instead of memorizing 3,000 characters, learn 50 radicals first. Each new character becomes a combination of things you already know. Full list with meanings and mnemonics.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Vocabulary
HSK 2 vocabulary list with example sentences (150 new words)
HSK 2 adds 150 words on top of HSK 1. Grouped by theme with example sentences and pinyin. A 30-day study plan using FSRS to hit 90% retention.
- ·7 min read#FSRS#SRS
FSRS vs SM-2: what changed and why it matters
SM-2 applies one fixed formula to every card. FSRS trains a model on your real review history to predict memory stability instead. What changed, explained.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Vocabulary
HSK 3 vocabulary list with example sentences (300 new words)
HSK 3 adds 300 new words on top of HSK 1+2, for 600 total. Grouped by theme with pinyin, example sentences, HSK 2.0 vs 3.0 notes, and a 45-day FSRS study plan.
- ·7 min read#HSK#Vocabulary
HSK 5 vocabulary list with example sentences (1,300 new words)
HSK 5 adds 1,300 new words (2,500 cumulative) and shifts from concrete nouns to abstract, academic vocabulary. Themed list, examples, and a study plan.
- ·5 min read#FSRS#Anki
Anki vs FSRS for Chinese learners: which schedule wins?
SM-2 (classic Anki) vs FSRS (opt-in since Anki 23.10, default in Vô chi) on HSK vocabulary. Where the review-count savings actually show up as your deck grows.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Apps
Best apps to learn Chinese in 2026 (honest comparison)
A no-hype comparison of the top apps for learning Mandarin: HelloChinese, Pleco, Anki, Du Chinese, and Vô chi. Which one for tones, which for characters, which for retention.
- ·5 min read#Mandarin#Tones
How to learn Mandarin tones fast (30 days, minimum sweat)
Mandarin has 4 tones. Most learners never fix them because they train words, not pairs. This is a 30-day drill using minimal pairs, shadowing, and SRS.
- ·7 min read#HSK#Characters
How to memorize Chinese characters 3× faster with SRS
The hard part of Mandarin is not tones — it is characters. FSRS spaced repetition, radical decomposition, and daily 10-minute reviews make HSK 1–6 tractable without cramming.
- ·6 min read#HSK#Beginner
HSK 1 starter guide: 150 words that unlock basic Mandarin
The 150 HSK 1 words let you order food, ask directions, and hold a first conversation. A study plan that gets you there in 30 days with FSRS spaced repetition, 10 minutes a day.