Mandarin Chinese Essentials from edX

Chinese is a critical language for all global organizations. Mandarin Chinese Essentials features a thorough basic Chinese virtual learning experience at your pace!

Switching from Latin alphabet or other phonogram languages to Chinese can be intimidating and frustrating. This prerequisite course breaks down all basic characteristics of Chinese language, ensuring you have a solid foundation to be a competent speaker in a business environment.

We will introduce one rule with practices and related dialogues through videos that includepractical businessconversations.

We provide solid learning system that is essential for beginners to differentiate and construct sentences, and then use them in workplace and business scenarios.

If you enroll in the verified track, you will be able to participate in the Webinar lectured by Dr. Estella Y. Chen, who will lead thediscussionwitha wide variety ofpopulartopicstoaccompanyyou to the world of chinese business culture and trend.

What's more, in the verified track, we'll give you three pronunciation lessons that will help youcommunicate more smoothly and effectively ina business environment.

No previous knowledge needed. We start from the beginning!

This course was developed with the assistance of Dr. Haohsiang Liao, Director of the Chinese Language Program at MIT.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Five essential characteristics of mandarin chinese: tones, pinyin, grammar, characters, and basic structures
Greater insight into chinese culture
Essential and practical communication skills

A solid start toward masteringmandarin for business
Build your confidence to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and friends in chinese

Five essential characteristics of mandarin chinese: tones, pinyin, grammar, characters, and basic structures
Greater insight into chinese culture
Essential and practical communication skills
A solid start toward masteringmandarin for business
Build your confidence to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and friends in chinese

Syllabus

Week 1: TonesLearn the most crucial characteristic of Mandarin Chinese-tones. You cannot speak Mandarin without singing, without tones.

Week 2: Pinyin It is absolutely useful for beginners to learn Pinyin, a transcription consisting of Latin characters.

Week 3: Chinese charactersAfter learning Pinyin and tones, you may try to 'draw' characters stroke by stroke.

Week 4: One Character One SyllableIt is essential to know that one character contains only one syllable. There is no prefix or suffix in Chinese.

W eek 5: One basic Chinese structureIntroduction to basic Chinese structure, knowing and practicing basic sentences in everyday scenario.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Builds a strong foundation for beginners in Mandarin Chinese, starting from the very basics

Provides practical communication skills essential for business settings

Offers a solid learning system for constructing and using Chinese sentences in workplace scenarios

Covers essential characteristics of Mandarin Chinese, including tones, pinyin, characters, and structures

Includes practical business conversations and dialogues to enhance learning

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Mandarin Chinese Essentials with these activities:

Build a resource collection for Mandarin Chinese learning

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Support your Mandarin Chinese learning by compiling a collection of valuable resources.

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Identify and gather resources such as websites, textbooks, apps, and videos related to Mandarin Chinese learning.
Organize the resources into different categories based on skill or topic.
Create a central repository or database to store and access the resources easily.
定期审查和更新资源，以确保其相关性和有效性。

Write a blog or article about Mandarin Chinese learning tips

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Share your Mandarin Chinese learning journey and insights by creating written content.

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Reflect on your Mandarin Chinese learning experience and identify effective tips and strategies.
Organize your thoughts and outline the main points of your article or blog post.
Write a clear and engaging piece that shares your insights and advice with others.
Publish your article or blog post on relevant platforms.
Share your work with others and encourage feedback.

Interactive pronunciation exercises

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Enhance your Mandarin Chinese pronunciation by following guided tutorials that provide interactive exercises and feedback.

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Search for online resources or apps that offer pronunciation exercises.
Follow the instructions and practice pronouncing different Mandarin Chinese sounds.
Use the feedback provided by the tutorials to improve your pronunciation.
Repeat the exercises regularly to reinforce the correct pronunciation.

Six other activities

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Mandarin Tone Practice

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Support learning of tones, the most crucial characteristic of Mandarin Chinese.

Browse courses on Speaking skills

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Listen to the audio recordings of the four Mandarin tones.
Repeat the tones after the recordings, paying attention to the pitch changes.
Practice saying the tones in different combinations.

Online Pronunciation Lessons

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Improve pronunciation accuracy in a business setting.

Browse courses on Pronunciation

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Identify online tutorials or resources that focus on Mandarin pronunciation for business.
Follow the instructions and practice the pronunciation exercises.
Record yourself pronouncing Mandarin words and phrases and compare your pronunciation to the model recordings.

Chinese Character Writing

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Reinforce understanding of the essential structure of Chinese characters.

Browse courses on Chinese Characters

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Select a Chinese character that you have learned.
Write the character repeatedly on paper, paying attention to the stroke order and proportions.
Compare your writing with the original character and make adjustments as needed.
Create a digital or physical dictionary of the characters you have learned for future reference.

Character comparisons

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Enhance your understanding of Mandarin Chinese characters by engaging in targeted practice comparing and contrasting different characters.

Browse courses on Chinese Characters

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Review the lesson on Chinese characters and their components.
Select a pair of similar Chinese characters, such as 同 and 东.
Analyze the characters side-by-side, identifying their similarities and differences in terms of radicals and strokes.
Write out the characters multiple times to reinforce their shapes and structures.
Repeat the process with other pairs of characters.

Language Exchange

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Enhance conversational skills and cultural understanding.

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Find a language exchange partner who is a native Mandarin speaker.
Set up regular meetings to practice speaking and listening to Mandarin.
Discuss topics related to business, culture, or other areas of interest.
Provide feedback to each other on pronunciation, grammar, and cultural nuances.

Create a Mandarin Chinese vocabulary list

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Solidify your Mandarin Chinese vocabulary by compiling a comprehensive list of terms and phrases related to a specific topic or area of interest.

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Brainstorm a topic or area of interest that you want to focus on.
Research and gather vocabulary related to the chosen topic.
Create a vocabulary list in a spreadsheet or notebook, including the Chinese characters, pinyin, and English translations.
Review and memorize the vocabulary list regularly.
Use the vocabulary list in practice conversations or writing exercises.

Career center

Learners who complete Mandarin Chinese Essentials will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Interpreter

Interpreters translate spoken language from one language to another. They work in a variety of settings, such as conferences, meetings, and courtrooms. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it provides a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese, which is essential for interpreting Chinese spoken language.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interpreter

Translator

Translators convert written or spoken text from one language to another. They work with a variety of clients, such as businesses, governments, and individuals, to translate documents, websites, and other materials. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it provides a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese, which is essential for translating Chinese documents and materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Translator

Teacher

Teachers develop lesson plans and teach courses to students in a variety of settings, such as schools, colleges, and universities. They work with students of all ages and backgrounds, helping them to learn and grow. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it provides a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese, which can be beneficial for teaching Mandarin Chinese to students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Professor

Professors teach and conduct research in their field of expertise at colleges and universities. They work with students to develop their knowledge and skills, and to prepare them for careers in their field. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it provides a solid foundation in Mandarin Chinese, which is essential for teaching Mandarin Chinese to students or for conducting research on Chinese language and culture.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor

Diplomat

Diplomats represent their country's interests in foreign countries. They work to build and maintain relationships with other countries, and to promote their country's policies and values. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which is essential for building relationships with Chinese officials and citizens.

See salaries and explore the career path for Diplomat

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products and services. They work with a variety of teams within a business, including engineering, design, and marketing, to ensure that products are developed and launched successfully. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese customers and businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Management Consultant

Management Consultants help businesses improve their performance by providing objective advice and recommendations. They work with businesses of all sizes and industries, helping them to identify and solve problems, and develop and implement new strategies. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese businesses and clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Researcher

Researchers design and conduct studies to investigate and analyze data in order to answer questions and solve problems. They work in a variety of fields, such as science, social science, and business. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for conducting research in China or on Chinese topics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher

Writer

Writers create and produce written content, such as articles, blog posts, and books. They work with a variety of clients, such as businesses, magazines, and websites, to create content that is informative, engaging, and persuasive. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for writing about Chinese topics or for writing in Chinese.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Journalist

Journalists gather, analyze, and report on news and current events. They work for a variety of news organizations, such as newspapers, magazines, and websites. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for reporting on Chinese news and events.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create and revise technical documentation, such as user manuals, training materials, and white papers. They work with a variety of teams within a business, including engineering, product development, and marketing, to ensure that technical documentation is clear and accurate. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese customers and businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing campaigns to promote products and services. They work with a variety of teams within a business, including sales, product development, and customer service, to ensure that marketing campaigns are aligned with the overall business strategy. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese customers and businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams to achieve revenue goals. They work with a variety of teams within a business, including marketing, product development, and customer service, to ensure that sales strategies are aligned with the overall business strategy. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese customers and businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts develop their ability to understand business problems, and then analyze and design solutions to those problems. They must work closely with all parties involved in the business such as customers, clients, stakeholders, and users. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese businesses and clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts use their understanding of the financial world to analyze the performance of investments such as stocks and bonds. They play a key role in helping businesses make informed decisions about their finances. Mandarin Chinese Essentials may be useful as it teaches essential communication skills and provides insight into Chinese culture, which can be beneficial for building relationships with Chinese investors and businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst