Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People from edX

This introductory Chinese language course will emphasize basic language skills for everyday life in Mandarin speaking countries.

The course utilizes pinyin, the standard system of Romanized spelling for transliterating Chinese, so learners will find it easy to understand and study the language.

The course is composed of several parts: Dialogues (taught through pinyin), listening comprehension exercises (in real-world situations), Chinese characters (frequently used in daily life), Mandarin songs, and Tea Time (tips for self-study).

This course is for anyone interested in learning Mandarin Chinese, especially if you plan to work or study in Mandarin-speaking countries. The course is also a good start toward the HSK Chinese proficiency test.

What you'll learn

Colloquial Mandarin vocabulary used in daily life
Highly practical expressions in given Mandarin contexts
Listening skills for communicating with Chinese native speakers
Some basic and frequently used Chinese characters
How to utilize the course for self-study

What's inside

Learning objectives

Colloquial mandarin vocabulary used in daily life
Highly practical expressions in given mandarin contexts
Listening skills for communicating with chinese native speakers

Some basic and frequently used chinese characters
How to utilize the course for self-study

Colloquial mandarin vocabulary used in daily life
Highly practical expressions in given mandarin contexts
Listening skills for communicating with chinese native speakers
Some basic and frequently used chinese characters
How to utilize the course for self-study

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches foundational Mandarin Chinese language skills and knowledge, which is the most widely spoken language in the world

Develops proficiency in listening and conversational skills, which are essential for real-world interactions

Provides a solid foundation for learners who plan to work or study in Mandarin-speaking countries, which can enhance career and academic opportunities

Utilizes pinyin, a standard transliteration system, which simplifies language learning for those unfamiliar with Chinese characters

Emphasizes practical and frequently used expressions, which enables learners to effectively communicate in everyday situations

This course has no explicit requirements for background knowledge or prerequisites, which makes it accessible to a broader audience

Reviews summary

Tsinghua chinese: level up your mandarin

Learners say that "Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People" is a well-received beginner-friendly course for learning Mandarin. It emphasizes pronunciation with videos and exercises, introduces basic Chinese characters, uses a story-based narrative for context, and is highly organized with clear objectives and assessments. Overall, students largely agree that it's a high quality course for those looking to start their Mandarin journey.

The course covers basic Chinese characters, including their origins, stroke order, and pronunciation.

"There are lessons for Chinese characters are also easy to learn and effective for me."

"The character lessons are also insightful."

"The short video at the end of each chapter helps the student."

Students overwhelmingly agree that this is a well-organized, expertly-taught, high quality course.

"Excellent teachers, exercises and visual content."

"Clear, well organized and engaging."

"This is a very good course, and covers a lot."

"Great course, especially considering the $0 price tag."

The course uses the story of an English-speaking student in Beijing as a narrative framework to teach the language.

"The course takes you through very useful topics that revolve around our everyday lives."

"I really enjoyed the interesting storyline, little plot twists and good tips for studying and being in China."

"It also offers great lessons on characters that really inspire you to understand more about Chinese characters."

"It is actually not that hard! Really suggest trying this!!"

Pronunciation is heavily emphasized in this course, with interactive exercises and videos to help you nail the tones.

"Very good pronounciation and tone sections to enable you speak correctly from the start."

"The stress on tone is quite good."

"Very clear pronunciations and guides."

"Clear, well defined objectives with testing, encouraging well done videos, challenging assessments"

Great for beginners, this course starts from scratch with pronunciations and builds up to basic conversational skills.

"The perfect course for beginners."

"Starting to learn Mandarin or just need a refresher, there's something here for you."

"Great introductory Chinese course with real-world examples"

"Highly recommended to anyone wanting to get a basic grasp of the Chinese language."

"An excellent beginner's class."

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 Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People with these activities:

Complete daily practice drills

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Reinforce your understanding of the pronunciation of Mandarin words by doing daily practice drills

Browse courses on Mandarin Chinese

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Listen to the audio for each drill multiple times
Attempt to repeat the words and phrases from the audio
Check your pronunciation against the audio

Engage in peer practice sessions

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Improve your Mandarin speaking and listening skills by practicing with peers in a relaxed and supportive environment

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Find a Mandarin language partner or join a study group
Set regular practice sessions and stick to them
Take turns leading conversations and providing feedback
Record your practice sessions to identify areas for improvement

Contribute to open source Mandarin learning resources

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Enhance your understanding of Mandarin while giving back to the community by contributing to open source projects that provide free learning materials

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify Mandarin learning projects on platforms like GitHub
Choose a project to contribute to based on your skills and interests
Read the project documentation and follow the contribution guidelines
Submit your contributions to the project

Show all three activities

Career center

Learners who complete Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Chinese Teacher

Chinese Teachers are responsible for teaching Mandarin Chinese to students of all ages. They develop lesson plans, create teaching materials, and assess student progress. This course may be useful for Chinese Teachers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Chinese Teachers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chinese Teacher

Interpreter

Interpreters facilitate communication between people who speak different languages. This course may be useful for Interpreters because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Interpreters to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interpreter

Translator

Translators convert written or spoken material from one language to another. This course may be useful for Translators because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Translators to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Translator

Foreign Service Officer

Foreign Service Officers represent the United States abroad. They work in embassies and consulates, and they are responsible for a variety of tasks, including political reporting, economic analysis, and public diplomacy. This course may be useful for Foreign Service Officers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Foreign Service Officers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Foreign Service Officer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course may be useful for Software Engineers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Software Engineers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts provide advice and expertise to businesses and investors. They work in a variety of fields, including investment banking, asset management, and corporate finance. This course may be useful for Financial Analysts because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Financial Analysts to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for developing and managing products. They work to define product requirements, design features, and launch new products. This course may be useful for Product Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Product Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns. They work to increase brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales. This course may be useful for Marketing Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Marketing Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Investment Banker

Investment Bankers help companies raise capital and advise them on mergers and acquisitions. This course may be useful for Investment Bankers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Investment Bankers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investment Banker

Business Development Manager

Business Development Managers are responsible for generating new business for their companies. They identify and develop new sales leads, and they work to close deals. This course may be useful for Business Development Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Business Development Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Account Manager

Account Managers are responsible for managing relationships with clients. They work to develop and maintain business relationships, and they are responsible for generating revenue. This course may be useful for Account Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Account Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Account Manager

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and expertise to businesses and organizations. They work in a variety of fields, including management, finance, and marketing. This course may be useful for Consultants because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Consultants to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They work in a variety of industries, including construction, engineering, and manufacturing. This course may be useful for Project Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Project Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for leading and managing sales teams. They work to develop and implement sales strategies, and they are responsible for achieving sales goals. This course may be useful for Sales Managers because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Sales Managers to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve problems and make predictions. This course may be useful for Data Scientists because it provides a strong foundation in Mandarin Chinese, including colloquial vocabulary, practical expressions, and listening skills. Additionally, the course covers some basic Chinese characters, which are essential for Data Scientists to know.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People.

ABC Dictionary of Ancient Japanese Phonograms

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This comprehensive Chinese-English dictionary that includes over 80,000 entries. It valuable resource for students and researchers of Chinese.

ABC Dictionary of Ancient Japanese Phonograms (ABC...

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A New Practical Primer of Literary Chinese

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Provides a comprehensive introduction to modern Chinese usage. It covers basic grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures. It emphasizes practical language use. Its comprehensive grammar section supplements the course's focus on listening skills. This book can be used as a foundational text.

A New Practical Primer of Literary Chinese (Harvard...

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Visible Speech

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Offers a comprehensive introduction to Mandarin Chinese with a focus on practical language use. Its strength lies in its wide range of exercises and practical examples. It is commonly used as a textbook in academic institutions.

MLA Handbook

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This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the HSK, the Chinese proficiency test. It includes information on the test format, scoring, and preparation materials. It valuable resource for students who are preparing to take the HSK.

MLA Handbook (OFFICIAL)

A Handbook of Old Chinese Phonology

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Offers an in-depth exploration of Chinese grammar, providing a theoretical understanding of the language's structure. It useful reference tool for learners who want to understand the intricacies of Mandarin Chinese grammar.

A Handbook of Old Chinese Phonology (Trends in...

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A speaker from Tianjin

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This popular textbook for beginning students of Mandarin Chinese. It provides a clear and concise introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of the language. It good choice for students who are looking for a comprehensive textbook.

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ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs (Yanyu)

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This dictionary provides comprehensive coverage of Chinese grammar, offering clear explanations and examples. It valuable reference tool for learners who want to deepen their understanding of the language's grammatical structures.

ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs (Yanyu) (ABC...

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ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs (Yanyu) (ABC...

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Colonialism and Language Policy in Viet Nam

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This basic course in Mandarin Chinese that is designed for beginners. It provides a clear and concise introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of the language. It good choice for students who are looking for a basic introduction to the language.

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Tang Transformation Texts

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This comprehensive grammar provides a deep dive into Mandarin Chinese grammar. It offers detailed explanations and examples, making it suitable for advanced learners who seek a thorough understanding of the language's structure.

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The Analects

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This classic work of Chinese philosophy offers insights into the teachings of Confucius. It valuable resource for learners who want to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and thought.