The Blog
Notes on learning Chinese from your lock screen.
Fun facts, word play and tricks
Short facts backed by data, playful compounds and practical learning tricks.
- 2026-11-03
How to tell time in Chinese: hours, minutes and mix-ups
Tell the time in Mandarin with pinyin, from whole hours to 2:05 and half past. Practise morning versus evening, and keep clock times separate from durations.
- 2026-10-31
College majors in Chinese: say what you study
Name your college major in Mandarin with pinyin and ready-to-use sentences. Learn when 学 changes the meaning, avoid reading traps, and test your answer.
- 2026-10-29
Check in in Chinese: from hotel booking to room key
Check into a hotel in Mandarin with pinyin and a short front-desk script. Confirm your booking, count rooms and nights, and ask about the deposit.
- 2026-10-24
How to order food in Chinese: from menu to bill
Order a meal in Mandarin with pinyin, food words and a short restaurant script. Practise quantities, ask for less spice, and correct a mixed-up order.
- 2026-10-22
Grateful in Chinese: 感激, 感谢 and a reason to say thanks
Say you are grateful in Chinese with 感激, 感谢 and 谢谢. Build a thank-you for someone's help, compare two sentence patterns, and test your choice.
- 2026-10-17
Chinese in Chinese: 中文, 汉语 or 普通话?
Say Chinese in Chinese with the right word: 中文 for the language, 普通话 for Mandarin, and 中国人 for a person. Compare readings and practise real sentences.
- 2026-10-14
Please in Chinese: choose the right words for your request
Learn when to use 请, 请问, 麻烦 and 可以…吗 for polite requests in Mandarin, with pinyin, a seat-offering mix-up, and practice you can check.
- 2026-10-07
HSK 1 words, grouped for daily use
Learn a useful set of HSK 1 words, grouped by theme with pinyin, English meanings, word stories, and a small daily review plan you can keep.
- 2026-10-07
Choosing a Chinese flashcards app you will use
Choose a Chinese flashcards app by checking characters, pinyin, audio, review scheduling, offline practice, and billing before you make a purchase.
- 2026-07-06
How lock-screen learning beats flashcards
Flashcard apps wait for you to show up. Your lock screen never does. Here is why that difference matters for learning Chinese.
- 2026-07-02
HSK 1 in your pocket
Start HSK 1 one glance at a time. See how a small daily word group fits your phone routine, then pick your first words from all 300.