汉语笔记 — Chinese Language Notes · Zero to Advanced

急生存中文

Real-world Chinese no backend, offline-friendly

Survival Chinese

Real situations, not grammar — the phrases you actually reach for when something goes wrong. Everything here is plain text, works with no internet connection, and needs no login. Spoken audio uses your device's own Chinese voice, so it works offline too if that voice is installed — most phones ship with one by default.

🚨 Emergency numbers & first words

110Police · 报警

120Ambulance · 急救

119Fire · 火警

122Traffic accident · 交通事故

救命！Jiùmìng!Help!

请叫救护车。Qǐng jiào jiùhùchē.Please call an ambulance.

我需要去医院。Wǒ xūyào qù yīyuàn.I need to go to the hospital.

By Situation

Tap a situation to open it. Each has what to say, and — just as important — what you'll likely hear back.

✈️ Airport & Immigration

Say

我是来留学的。Wǒ shì lái liúxué de.I'm here to study abroad.

这是我的护照和签证。Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào hé qiānzhèng.Here is my passport and visa.

请问行李在哪里领取？Qǐngwèn xínglǐ zài nǎlǐ lǐngqǔ?Where do I pick up my luggage?

You might hear

请出示您的护照。Qǐng chūshì nín de hùzhào.Please show your passport.

您来中国的目的是什么？Nín lái Zhōngguó de mùdì shì shénme?What's the purpose of your visit?

🏠 Dorm Move-in

Say

我是新生，我要办理入住。Wǒ shì xīnshēng, wǒ yào bànlǐ rùzhù.I'm a new student, I'd like to check in.

请问宿舍在哪里？Qǐngwèn sùshè zài nǎlǐ?Where is the dormitory?

空调坏了，怎么办？Kōngtiáo huài le, zěnme bàn?The AC is broken, what should I do?

You might hear

请出示学生证和录取通知书。Qǐng chūshì xuéshēngzhèng hé lùqǔ tōngzhīshū.Please show your student ID and admission letter.

这是您的房卡和钥匙。Zhè shì nín de fángkǎ hé yàoshi.Here is your room card and key.

💳 Bank Account & SIM Card

Say

我想开一个银行账户。Wǒ xiǎng kāi yí gè yínháng zhànghù.I'd like to open a bank account.

我想办一张电话卡。Wǒ xiǎng bàn yì zhāng diànhuàkǎ.I'd like to register a SIM card.

需要什么材料？Xūyào shénme cáiliào?What documents do I need?

You might hear

请填写这张表格。Qǐng tiánxiě zhè zhāng biǎogé.Please fill out this form.

请设置您的密码。Qǐng shèzhì nín de mìmǎ.Please set your password.

🏥 Hospital & Pharmacy

Say

我不舒服，想看医生。Wǒ bù shūfu, xiǎng kàn yīshēng.I don't feel well, I'd like to see a doctor.

这里疼。Zhè lǐ téng.It hurts here.

我对这个过敏。Wǒ duì zhège guòmǐn.I'm allergic to this.

You might hear

您哪里不舒服？Nín nǎlǐ bù shūfu?What's wrong / where does it hurt?

先去挂号。Xiān qù guàhào.First go register at the front desk.

👮 Police & Lost Documents

Say

我的护照丢了。Wǒ de hùzhào diū le.My passport is lost.

我想报案。Wǒ xiǎng bào'àn.I'd like to report this.

请帮我联系我的学校。Qǐng bāng wǒ liánxì wǒ de xuéxiào.Please help me contact my school.

You might hear

请出示您的证件。Qǐng chūshì nín de zhèngjiàn.Please show your ID.

请在这里签字。Qǐng zài zhèlǐ qiānzì.Please sign here.

🚕 Taxi, DiDi & Transit

Say

请带我去这个地址。Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ.Please take me to this address.

可以用滴滴叫车吗？Kěyǐ yòng Dīdī jiàochē ma?Can I book a car using DiDi?

师傅，可以扫码付款吗？Shīfu, kěyǐ sǎomǎ fùkuǎn ma?Driver, can I pay by QR code?

You might hear

请系好安全带。Qǐng jì hǎo ānquándài.Please fasten your seatbelt.

到了，一共三十五块。Dào le, yígòng sānshíwǔ kuài.We're here, that's 35 yuan total.

🎓 Campus Services

Say

请问教务处在哪里？Qǐngwèn jiàowùchù zài nǎlǐ?Where is the registrar's office?

我想选这门课。Wǒ xiǎng xuǎn zhè mén kè.I'd like to enroll in this course.

食堂几点开门？Shítáng jǐ diǎn kāimén?What time does the cafeteria open?

You might hear

请出示学生证。Qǐng chūshì xuéshēngzhèng.Please show your student ID.

请到二楼办理。Qǐng dào èr lóu bànlǐ.Please go to the second floor for that.

🛒 Market, Restaurant & Landlord

Say

这个多少钱？可以便宜一点吗？Zhège duōshǎo qián? Kěyǐ piányi yìdiǎn ma?How much is this? Can it be cheaper?

我要这个，不要辣。Wǒ yào zhège, bú yào là.I'll have this, no spicy please.

房租什么时候到期？Fángzū shénme shíhòu dàoqī?When does the rent expire?

You might hear

一共二十块。Yígòng èrshí kuài.That's 20 yuan total.

可以，最低十八。Kěyǐ, zuìdī shíbā.Okay, eighteen is the lowest.

📱 Point & Show

For when speaking fails: tap to hear, or just show the screen to someone.

我不会说中文，可以帮帮我吗？Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén, kěyǐ bāngbang wǒ ma?I don't speak Chinese, can you help me?

请帮我叫救护车。Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào jiùhùchē.Please call an ambulance for me.

请带我去这个地址。Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ.Please take me to this address.

我听不懂，可以写下来吗？Wǒ tīng bù dǒng, kěyǐ xiě xiàlái ma?I don't understand, could you write it down?

可以帮我打这个电话号码吗？Kěyǐ bāng wǒ dǎ zhège diànhuà hàomǎ ma?Could you call this phone number for me?

我是留学生，这是我的学校。Wǒ shì liúxuéshēng, zhè shì wǒ de xuéxiào.I'm an international student, this is my school.

请问最近的地铁站在哪里？Qǐngwèn zuìjìn de dìtiězhàn zài nǎlǐ?Where's the nearest subway station?

谢谢您的帮助！Xièxiè nín de bāngzhù!Thank you for your help!

🪧 Signs & Notices

The text that's everywhere but never taught — read it fast, don't stop to translate.

出口	chūkǒu	Exit
入口	rùkǒu	Entrance
禁止吸烟	jìnzhǐ xīyān	No Smoking
男 / 女	nán / nǚ	Men's / Women's (restroom)
收银台	shōuyíntái	Checkout / Cashier
请勿拍照	qǐng wù pāizhào	No Photography
施工中	shīgōng zhōng	Under Construction
小心地滑	xiǎoxīn dìhuá	Caution: Slippery Floor
紧急出口	jǐnjí chūkǒu	Emergency Exit
禁止停车	jìnzhǐ tíngchē	No Parking
地铁	dìtiě	Subway / Metro
卫生间	wèishēngjiān	Restroom
挂号	guàhào	Registration (hospital front desk)
免费	miǎnfèi	Free (no charge)
营业中	yíngyè zhōng	Open (business)
休息中	xiūxi zhōng	Closed

📲 Paying with WeChat / Alipay

Daily life runs on QR-code payment apps — a few lines remove a very common friction point.

可以用微信支付吗？Kěyǐ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù ma?Can I pay with WeChat?

可以扫这个码吗？Kěyǐ sǎo zhège mǎ ma?Can I scan this code?

可以用现金吗？Kěyǐ yòng xiànjīn ma?Can I pay with cash?

可以刷卡吗？Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?Can I pay by card?

我的手机没有网络。Wǒ de shǒujī méiyǒu wǎngluò.My phone has no internet.

能帮我付一下吗，我微信转给你。Néng bāng wǒ fù yíxià ma, wǒ Wēixìn zhuǎn gěi nǐ.Could you pay for me — I'll WeChat transfer you.

🎎 Etiquette Notes

Not language, but part of the same barrier — don't be caught off guard.

Address teachers as 老师 (lǎoshī) + surname — e.g. 王老师 — not by first name.
Elders and officials are addressed with 您 (nín), the polite form of "you."
Tipping isn't expected in restaurants or taxis.
When giving or receiving something (a card, cash, a gift), use both hands as a sign of respect.
Clocks are considered an unlucky gift — "giving a clock" (送钟, sòng zhōng) sounds like "attending a funeral."
Queues can feel less orderly than you're used to — stand your ground politely, but don't be surprised by it.
At meals, wait for the host to start eating or make the first toast before you do.
Removing shoes indoors varies by household — watch your host, or ask: 要脱鞋吗？ (Yào tuōxié ma?) "Should I take off my shoes?"

一第一章

Foundations 基础篇 HSK 1

拼音Pinyin — the Sound Map

Goal: read any syllable aloud. Letter → sound before anything else: Chinese uses the romanization system Pinyin as training wheels for pronunciation.

✓完成 Done

音

Initials · 声母 21 consonant onsets

Group	Initials	Feel
Lips 唇音	b p m f	like English b/p/m/f but unaspirated b
Tip 舌尖	d t n l	d/t crisp; t is strongly aspirated
Back 舌根	g k h	h = soft Scottish “loch”, never harsh
Palatal 舌面	j q x	ee-position: j≈jeep, q≈cheep (aspirated), x≈she but lighter
Retroflex 翘舌	zh ch sh r	tongue curled back; r buzzes like French j
Flat 平舌	z c s	z≈ds, c≈ts (sharp), s = plain s

韵

Finals · 韵母 the vowel payloads

Simple: a o e i u ü · Compound: ai ei ao ou · Nasal: an en ang eng ong

i-row: ia ie iao iu ian in iang ing iong · u-row: ua uo uai ui uan un uang · ü-row: üe üan ün

j q x y + ü → write “u”: 居 is written jū, never *jǖ.
Shortcuts: iou→iu, uei→ui, uen→un (liú, guì, lùn).
Empty initials get y/w: 衣 yī, 五 wǔ, 雨 yǔ, 也 yě.

读

Read Aloud Drill tap each syllable

妈妈māmamother — m + a

书shūbook — sh + u

老师lǎoshīteacher

同学tóngxuéclassmate

谢谢xièxiethanks — x + ie

师

Teacher tip 老师提示: Pinyin is a map, not the territory — always pair it with audio. Never pronounce the letters “English-style”; q, x, zh, c are not what they look like.

问

Self-check

二第二章

Foundations 基础篇 HSK 1

声调Tones & Tone Change

Goal: tones carry meaning — mā má mǎ mà are four different words. Master the four contours plus the sandhi rules for 三 and 不.

✓完成 Done

声

The Tone Table one syllable, five lives

Tone	Syllable	Character	Meaning
1st — high flat 55	mā	妈	mother
2nd — rising 35	má	麻	hemp / numb
3rd — dip 214	mǎ	马	horse
4th — falling 51	mà	骂	to scold
Neutral — light	ma	吗	question particle

变

Sandhi Rules · 变调 tones bend in company

① Two 3rds in a row → first becomes 2nd. 你好 is written nǐ hǎo but spoken ní hǎo.

② 不 is 4th, but flips to 2nd before another 4th: 不是 bú shì, 不去 bú qù.

③ 一 is 1st alone, but 2nd before a 4th (一共 yí gòng) and 4th before 1/2/3 (一天 yì tiān).

④ Reduplicated verbs take a neutral 2nd syllable: 看看 kànkan, 听听 tīngting.

练

Say These Pairs tap to hear the sandhi

你好nǐ hǎo → ní hǎo3+3 rule

不是bù shì → bú shì不 rule

一起yī qǐ → yì qǐ一 rule

汉语HànyǔChinese language

学习xuéxíto study

师

Teacher tip: practise tones in pairs and words, not in isolation — real speech is a melody, and your ear should memorize the melody of each word.

问

Self-check

三第三章

Foundations 基础篇 HSK 1

汉字Strokes, Order & Radicals

Goal: stop seeing “drawings”. Characters are built from 8 strokes, written in a fixed order, and grouped by radicals that hint at meaning.

✓完成 Done

笔

Eight Basic Strokes · 笔画

Stroke	Name	Example
一	横 héng	horizontal
丨	竖 shù	vertical
丿	撇 piě	left-falling sweep
乀	捺 nà	right-falling press
丶	点 diǎn	dot
𠃌	钩 gōu	hook
𠃍	折 zhé	bend / turn
㇀	提 tí	upward flick

Stroke order — five commandments: ① top → bottom (三) ② left → right (你) ③ outside → inside (月) ④ center first when symmetric (水) ⑤ close the box last (国).

部

Radicals That Pay Rent · 部首

Radical	Meaning	Lives in
氵	water	河海洗泳
亻	person	你他们住
扌	hand / action	打找推拉
讠	speech	说话请谢
辶	movement	进远还道
心 / 忄	heart / feeling	想忙情怕
口	mouth	吃喝唱吗
钅	metal	钱铁银钟

拼

Word Forge · 会意字 parts add up to meaning

日+月=明sun + moon → bright

女+子=好woman + child → good

人+木=休person + tree → rest

木+木=林tree + tree → grove

小+大=尖small + big → sharp tip

师

Teacher tip: learn the radical and you learn a hundred characters at once — every 氵 word has water somewhere in its soul.

四第四章

Foundations 基础篇 HSK 1

数字Numbers & Measure Words

Goal: count to 99 with ten characters, and learn the golden rule — you can never say “number + noun” directly; a measure word always stands between them.

✓完成 Done

数

0 → 10,000

#	字	Pinyin	#	字	Pinyin
0	零	líng	6	六	liù
1	一	yī	7	七	qī
2	二	èr	8	八	bā
3	三	sān	9	九	jiǔ
4	四	sì	10	十	shí
5	五	wǔ	100 / 1000	百千	bǎi / qiān

Assembly is LEGO: 11 = 十一 (ten-one), 20 = 二十 (two-tens), 45 = 四十五, 108 = 一百零八 (the 零 pads the gap). 两 liǎng replaces 二 when counting things: 两个人 ✓, 二个人 ✗.

量

Measure Words · 量词

个 gè — general default一个人

本 běn — bound books一本书

只 zhī — small animals一只猫

杯 bēi — cupfuls一杯茶

张 zhāng — flat things一张纸

条 tiáo — long & thin一条鱼

辆 liàng — vehicles一辆车

位 wèi — polite “person”一位老师

句

Sentence Lab

Number + Measure Word + Noun

三本书sān běn shūthree books

两只猫liǎng zhī māotwo cats (两, not 二!)

我要一杯咖啡。wǒ yào yì bēi kāfēiI'd like one cup of coffee.

问

Self-check

五第五章

Foundations 基础篇 HSK 1

问候Greetings & First Sentences

Goal: survive minute one of a real conversation — greet, thank, apologize, and introduce yourself in four sentences.

✓完成 Done

礼

Courtesy Arsenal

汉字	Pinyin	English
你好	nǐ hǎo	hello
您好	nín hǎo	hello (respectful, to elders)
谢谢	xièxie	thank you
不客气	bú kèqi	you're welcome
对不起	duìbuqǐ	sorry
没关系	méi guānxi	it's okay
再见	zàijiàn	goodbye
请问	qǐngwèn	excuse me (before asking)

话

Your First Dialogue

A你好！你叫什么名字？Hello! What's your name?
B我叫李明。你呢？I'm called Li Ming. And you?
A我叫安娜。很高兴认识你。I'm Anna. Nice to meet you.
B我也很高兴。再见！Me too. Bye!

Self-intro template: 我叫____。我是____人。我是学生／老师。我在学汉语。
(My name is __. I'm from __. I'm a student/teacher. I'm learning Chinese.)

师

Teacher tip: 你好 is for equals & juniors. With elders, clients, teachers — upgrade to 您好. It costs nothing and buys respect.

六第六章

Beginner 入门篇 HSK 1

代词Pronouns, Family & 谁

Goal: talk about people — letter → word stage: add 们 to any pronoun and it becomes plural. That's the entire conjugation lesson.

✓完成 Done

人

Pronoun Grid

	Singular	Plural (+们)
1st	我 wǒ	我们 wǒmen
2nd	你 nǐ / 您 nín	你们 nǐmen
3rd m/f/n	他 / 她 / 它 tā	他们 / 她们

问人 = 谁 shéi (who). 这是谁？Who is this? — 他是我爸爸。

家

Family Word Forge · 家人

爸爸father — reduplicated

妈妈mother

哥哥older brother

姐姐older sister

弟弟younger brother

妹妹younger sister

朋友friend (not reduplicated)

记

Memory hook: 哥 = two 可 stacked; 弟弟 and 妹妹 wear the “younger” bow. Older-first order mirrors Confucian hierarchy — age is built into the words.

句

Sentence Lab

这是 + person | 我有 + family member

这是我姐姐。zhè shì wǒ jiějieThis is my older sister.

我有一个弟弟。wǒ yǒu yí gè dìdiI have one younger brother.

他们是我的朋友。tāmen shì wǒ de péngyouThey are my friends.

七第七章

Beginner 入门篇 HSK 1

动词The Twelve Core Verbs

Goal: verbs never change form — no -s, no -ed, no irregulars. Learn twelve and you can already say hundreds of things.

✓完成 Done

动

The Big Twelve

汉字	Pinyin	Meaning	汉字	Pinyin	Meaning
是	shì	to be	有	yǒu	to have
在	zài	to be at	去	qù	to go
吃	chī	to eat	喝	hē	to drink
看	kàn	to look	听	tīng	to listen
说	shuō	to speak	写	xiě	to write
想	xiǎng	want / think	喜欢	xǐhuan	to like

句

Three Frames That Do Most of the Work

A 是 B · A 有 N · A 想/要 + V

我是学生。wǒ shì xuéshengI am a student.

她有很多书。tā yǒu hěn duō shūShe has many books.

我想去北京。wǒ xiǎng qù BěijīngI want to go to Beijing.

他喜欢喝茶。tā xǐhuan hē cháHe likes drinking tea. (verb chains freely!)

师

Teacher tip: 想 = soft “feel like”, 要 = firm “will / intend to”. 我想去 is a wish; 我要去 is a plan with shoes already on.

问

Self-check

八第八章

Beginner 入门篇 HSK 1–2

造句The Sentence Skeleton — Word → Sentence

Goal: the moment your words become sentences. Chinese word order is English-ish at the core (S + V + O) — but time and place march to the front.

✓完成 Done

骨

The Master Formula

(Time) + Subject + (Place) + Adverb + Verb + Object

我学汉语。wǒ xué HànyǔS + V + O — the atom.

她也是老师。tā yě shì lǎoshī也 / 都 / 很 sit before the verb.

我在家吃饭。wǒ zài jiā chī fànPlace comes before the action.

我明天去中国。wǒ míngtiān qù ZhōngguóTime before the verb (or before 我).

词

Word Forge · one character, many words

学+生=学生study+born→student

学+校=学校study+building→school

学+习=学习to study

大+学=大学big+study→university

记

Vocabulary secret: most Chinese words are two-character compounds. Learn 学 once, harvest dozens of words for free. This is how you scale from word to word.

问

Self-check

九第九章

Beginner 入门篇 HSK 1–2

疑问Asking Questions

Goal: four question engines — the particle 吗, the question-word swap, A-not-A, and 还是 choices. No inversion, no auxiliary verbs.

✓完成 Done

吗

Engine 1 · yes/no with 吗

Statement + 吗？

你是学生吗？nǐ shì xuésheng ma?Are you a student?

你喜欢喝茶吗？nǐ xǐhuan hē chá ma?Do you like tea?

谁

Engine 2 · question words swap in place

Word	Meaning	In action
谁 shéi	who	他是谁？
什么 shénme	what	这是什么？
哪儿 nǎr	where	你去哪儿？
什么时候	when	你什么时候去？
为什么	why	你为什么学汉语？
怎么 zěnme	how	这个字怎么写？
多少 duōshao	how many/much	多少钱？

记

Golden rule: the question word sits exactly where the answer will go — 你喝什么？→ 我喝茶。 So 吗 and a question word never share a sentence: 你去哪儿吗 ✗.

不

Engine 3 & 4 · A-not-A and 还是

你是不是学生？nǐ shì bú shì xuésheng?A-not-A: “are you or aren't you?”

你去不去？nǐ qù bu qù?going or not?

你喝茶还是喝咖啡？hē chá háishi hē kāfēi?还是 = or (in questions)

十第十章

Elementary 进阶篇 HSK 1–2

时间Time, Dates & the Clock

Goal: Chinese time order is big → small, the opposite of many languages — year, month, day, weekday, hour, minute.

✓完成 Done

日

Calendar Words

汉字	Pinyin	Meaning
今天	jīntiān	today (明天 tomorrow · 昨天 yesterday)
现在	xiànzài	now
年 · 月 · 日	nián yuè rì	year · month · day
星期	xīngqī	week — 星期一…星期六, then 星期天
点 · 分	diǎn fēn	hour · minute — 半 = :30, 一刻 = :15

序

The Big-to-Small Rule

Year > Month > Day > Weekday > Hour > Minute

现在几点？xiànzài jǐ diǎn?What time is it?

两点半。liǎng diǎn bàn2:30 — again 两, not 二!

我们星期三下午两点有课。xīngqīsān xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn yǒu kèWe have class Wed 2 p.m.

二零零八年五月十二日2008-05-12digits read one by one

师

Teacher tip: time words also obey Ch. 8's frame: they sit before the verb — 我明天去 ✓ / 我去明天 ✗.

⑪第十一章

Elementary 进阶篇 HSK 2

的的 — the Most Powerful Little Word

Goal: 的 is the glue of Chinese. Possession, description, and emphasis all hang from this one character.

✓完成 Done

的

Three Jobs of 的

Job 1 — possession: A 的 B “B of A”

我的书wǒ de shūmy book

老师的电脑lǎoshī de diànnǎothe teacher's computer

Job 2 — description: Adj 的 N

红色的车hóngsè de chēa red car

很漂亮的花园hěn piàoliang de huāyuána very pretty garden

Job 3 — emphasis: 是 … 的

我是昨天来的。wǒ shì zuótiān lái deIt was yesterday that I came.

他是坐飞机去的。tā shì zuò fēijī qù deHe went by plane.

师

Teacher tip: with close relations, 的 is optional: 我妈妈 = 我的妈妈. Descriptions longer than one word keep their 的; single adjectives can drop it (好人, 新书).

⑫第十二章

Elementary 进阶篇 HSK 2

否定Negation — 不 vs 没

Goal: two “nots” with different territories. Choose wrong and tenses collapse; choose right and negation becomes effortless.

✓完成 Done

不

The Split

	不 bù	没(有) méi
Territory	present, future, habits, opinions	past events, completion, and 有
Example	我不喝咖啡。 I don't drink coffee (ever).	我没喝咖啡。 I didn't / haven't drunk it.
With 有	— never —	我没有钱。 I have no money.

别 bié = “don't!” (commands): 别走！Don't go!

Double negatives intensify: 不得不 = have no choice but to → 我不得不去 (I absolutely must go). 不是不… = it's not that I don't…

问

Self-check

⑬第十三章

Elementary 进阶篇 HSK 2–3

体貌Aspect — 了 · 过 · 着

Goal: Chinese has no tense — it has aspect: completed (了), experienced (过), ongoing state (着). This chapter ends the beginner phase.

✓完成 Done

了

The Three Signals

Particle	Job	Example
V + 了	action completed	我买了一本书。 I bought a book.
sentence-final 了	change of state / new situation	下雨了。 It's raining now (wasn't before).
V + 过	life experience	我去过中国。 I've been to China.
V + 着	ongoing resulting state	门开着。 The door is (sitting) open.

较

Side by Side

我买了那本书。lebought it — done, it's here

我买过那本书。guobought it once in my life — experience

他拿着我的书。zhehe's holding my book — state in progress

师

Classic error: 了 ≠ past tense. It marks completion or change. 我明天吃了饭就去 — 了 happily sits in tomorrow's sentence.

⑭第十四章

Intermediate 中级篇 HSK 3–4

把The 把 Construction

Goal: the gatekeeper of intermediate Chinese. 把 drags the object before the verb so the sentence can focus on what happens to it.

✓完成 Done

把

The Disposal Frame

Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Result / Direction

请把门打开。qǐng bǎ mén dǎkāiPlease open the door.

我把作业写完了。wǒ bǎ zuòyè xiě wán leI finished the homework.

别把这件事忘了。bié bǎ zhè jiàn shì wàng leDon't forget this matter.

他把咖啡喝了。tā bǎ kāfēi hē leHe drank up the coffee.

Two entry tickets: ① the object must be specific/known (那本书, 门); ② the verb must carry a result — 完, 开, 好, 到, 在…, never a bare verb. *我把书看 ✗ → 我把书看完了 ✓.

问

Self-check

⑮第十五章

Intermediate 中级篇 HSK 4

被The 被 Passive

Goal: flip the camera — the object takes the spotlight, usually because something happened to it. Traditionally used for mishaps.

✓完成 Done

被

The Passive Frame

Victim + 被 + (doer) + Verb + result

杯子被打破了。bēizi bèi dǎ pò leThe cup got broken.

我的钱包被偷了。qiánbāo bèi tōu leMy wallet was stolen.

蛋糕被弟弟吃光了。dàngāo bèi dìdi chī guāng leThe cake was eaten up by little brother.

Informal twins: 叫 / 让 can replace 被 in speech: 蛋糕让弟弟吃光了. And like 把, the verb must carry a result — 被偷了 ✓, 被偷 ✗.

师

Teacher tip: modern media stretches 被 to neutral events (他被评为最佳员工), but as a learner, default to 被 = something unfortunate happened. It keeps you sounding natural.

⑯第十六章

Intermediate 中级篇 HSK 3–4

补语Complements — Result, Direction & 得

Goal: Chinese verbs rarely stand naked — they wear outcomes. “Listen” isn't enough: did you hear and understand? That's the complement.

✓完成 Done

果

Result Complements · V + outcome

看+见=看见look + perceive = see

听+懂=听懂listen + get = understand

找+到=找到search + arrive = find

吃+完=吃完eat + finish = eat up

我听懂了。wǒ tīng dǒng leI listened and got it.

我没找到我的钥匙。méi zhǎodàoNegate with 没: didn't find.

得

Degree with 得 · how well?

Verb + 得 + description

他说得很快。shuō de hěn kuàiHe speaks fast.

你写得非常漂亮。xiě de fēicháng piàoliangYou write beautifully.

好得很！hǎo de hěnGreat indeed! (reversed pattern)

Direction complements: 上来 / 下去 / 进来 / 出去 ride along with verbs — 走进来 (walk in toward me), 跑出去 (run out away). Possibility: insert 得/不 — 看得见 can see · 看不见 can't · 吃不完 can't finish eating.

⑰第十七章

Upper-Intermediate 中高级篇 HSK 4–5

连词Conjunction Pairs — Logic Made Visible

Goal: sentences grow into arguments. Chinese logic runs on paired frames — one half opens, the other must close.

✓完成 Done

链

The Nine Frames

Pair	Logic	Living example
因为…所以…	cause → result	因为下雨，所以我们没去。
虽然…但是…	concession	虽然很难，但是很有意思。
如果…就…	condition	如果你去，我就去。
不但…而且…	not only…but also	他不但会说，而且会写汉字。
一边…一边…	two actions at once	她一边听音乐，一边写作业。
越…越…	the more…the more	汉语越学越有意思。
除了…以外	besides / except	除了茶以外，我也喜欢咖啡。
不管…都…	no matter what	不管多忙，他都运动。
只要…就…	sufficient condition	只要努力，就能学好。

师

Teacher tip: unlike English, Chinese happily keeps both halves: 虽然…但是… is correct — dropping 但是 here sounds like a missing shoe.

⑱第十八章

Upper-Intermediate 中高级篇 HSK 5

成语Idioms & Written Style

Goal: four-character idioms (成语) compress whole fables into four syllables — and formal writing swaps spoken verbs for their classical cousins.

✓完成 Done

典

Eight Idioms Worth Stealing

成语	Pinyin	Story / meaning
马马虎虎	mǎmǎhūhū	horse-horse tiger-tiger → so-so, careless
一石二鸟	yì shí èr niǎo	one stone, two birds → kill two with one
画蛇添足	huà shé tiān zú	drawing legs on a snake → ruin by excess
入乡随俗	rù xiāng suí sú	enter the village, follow its customs
熟能生巧	shú néng shēng qiǎo	familiarity births skill → practice makes perfect
半途而废	bàn tú ér fèi	abandon halfway — the cardinal learner's sin
人山人海	rén shān rén hǎi	people-mountain people-sea → huge crowd
七上八下	qī shàng bā xià	heart fluttering with anxiety

书

Spoken → Written Upgrades

Spoken 口语	Written 书面语	Meaning
帮忙	协助	to help / assist
所以	因此	therefore
但是	然而	however
另外	此外	furthermore
现在	目前	at present
很多	大量	a large amount

句

Idioms in Action

我的汉语马马虎虎。wǒ de Hànyǔ mǎmǎhūhūMy Chinese is so-so. (modesty gold)

学汉语不能半途而废。bù néng bàn tú ér fèiDon't quit halfway.

节日的街上人山人海。rén shān rén hǎiThe festival street was packed.

⑲第十九章

Advanced 高级篇 HSK 5–6

语感Advanced Nuance — Attitude Words

Goal: advanced Chinese is about stance — surprise, dismissal, reluctant preference. These words are the seasoning that makes sentences taste native.

✓完成 Done

妙

Nine Attitude Markers

Word	Flavor	In the wild
居然 jūrán	shock: “actually!”	他居然忘了我的名字。
简直 jiǎnzhí	“simply / virtually”	这里简直太美了。
无非 wúfēi	“nothing but”	他说的无非是借口。
未必 wèibì	“not necessarily”	贵的未必是最好的。
何必 hébì	“why bother?”	小事而已，何必生气？
难怪 nánguài	“no wonder”	难怪他汉语说得这么好。
与其…不如…	“rather than A, better B”	与其抱怨，不如行动。
哪怕 nǎpà	“even if”	哪怕下雨，我也要去。
而已 éryǐ	“…and that's all”	我只是开玩笑而已。

师

Teacher tip: drill each marker with your own true sentence — emotion anchors grammar. One “他居然…” about your real life beats ten textbook rows.

⑳第二十章

Advanced 高级篇 · Finale HSK 5–6

写作Writing, Exam Strategy & the 30-Day Loop

Goal: assemble everything — paragraph architecture, HSK roadmap, classic error blacklist, and a repeatable study engine.

✓完成 Done

文

Paragraph Architecture

观点 Opinion → 理由 Reasons → 例子 Example → 总结 Wrap

我认为学汉语非常有用。opinion我认为… I hold that…

首先…其次…最后…connectorsfirstly, secondly, finally

举个例子…examplefor instance…

总而言之…wrapall in all…

错

Classic Error Blacklist

✗ Wrong	✓ Right	Why
我去昨天中国。	我昨天去中国。	time before verb
二个人	两个人	两 before measure words
你去哪儿吗？	你去哪儿？	吗 ≠ question words
我见面他在图书馆。	我在图书馆见到他。	place precedes verb
我把书看。	我把书看完了。	把 needs a result
他不有手机。	他没有手机。	有 negates only with 没

路

The 30-Day Loop — repeat forever

Week	Focus	Daily dose
1	Sound & characters	10 min tones aloud · 10 new characters with stroke order
2	Words & compounds	15 new words — always learn the compound, not the lone character
3	Sentence frames	Write 5 sentences per pattern from Ch. 8–16; read them aloud
4	Output	One 80-character paragraph; shadow one audio clip 3×; retell it

终

Finale: 熟能生巧 — familiarity births skill. You now hold sounds, strokes, words, frames and style. The only chapter left to write is practice. 加油！

闪卡

Flashcard drill — tap a card to flip. Cover the right column of your brain first: hanzi → pinyin → meaning.

谢flip ↻

xièto thank

爱flip ↻

àito love

水flip ↻

shuǐwater

火flip ↻

huǒfire

山flip ↻

shānmountain

月flip ↻

yuèmoon / month

书flip ↻

shūbook

钱flip ↻

qiánmoney

路flip ↻

lùroad

快flip ↻

kuàifast / happy

慢flip ↻

mànslow

梦flip ↻

mèngdream

查

速查表 · Cheat Sheets

Ten single-purpose reference cards. Print them, tape them to the wall, revisit them weekly.

Tone Lab 声调实验室

Tap any tone, then type your own sentence below and hear it spoken.

Particles 虚词表

Nine tiny words doing enormous jobs.

Particle	Job	Quick sample
吗	yes/no question	你好吗？
呢	“and you?” / ongoing	你呢？他在睡觉呢。
吧	suggestion / soft guess	我们走吧。
了	completion / change	他走了。下雨了。
过	experience	我去过上海。
着	ongoing state	灯亮着。
的	possession / description	我的 / 漂亮的
得	degree complement	跑得快
地	adverb marker (written)	慢慢地走

Measure Words 量词墙

The shape of the object chooses the word.

个gè · default一个人 · 一个 idea

只zhī · animals, one of pair一只狗

条tiáo · long thin一条河 · 一条裤子

张zhāng · flat surfaces一张桌子

本běn · bound volumes两本词典

杯bēi · cupfuls一杯水

瓶píng · bottles一瓶啤酒

碗wǎn · bowlfuls一碗米饭

辆liàng · vehicles三辆公共汽车

件jiàn · matters, clothes一件事 · 一件衬衫

双shuāng · pairs一双鞋

位wèi · polite person三位客人

Sentence Formulas 句型公式

Six frames that generate 90% of everyday Chinese.

S + V + O → 我学汉语 (Time) + S + (在 Place) + V + O S + 把 + O + V + result O + 被 + (agent) + V + result V + 得 + degree → 说得很快是 … 的 → emphasis frame

Conjunctions 连词对

Memorize them as inseparable pairs.

Pair	Meaning
因为…所以…	because → so
虽然…但是…	although → but
如果…就…	if → then
不但…而且…	not only → but also
一边…一边…	simultaneously
越…越…	the more…the more
不管…都…	no matter…still
只要…就…	as long as → then
与其…不如…	rather than…better

Stroke Order 笔顺五律

Five commandments, forever.

#	Rule	Proof
①	top → bottom	三
②	left → right	你
③	outside → inside	月
④	center first if symmetric	水
⑤	close the box last	国

Top 100 Characters 高频百字 · tap to hear

Roughly one-third of all characters in everyday print. Master these first — every one is clickable audio.

HSK Ladder 考试地图

Vocabulary targets of the standard proficiency exam.

HSK 1

~150 words · survival

HSK 2

~300 · daily chat

HSK 3

~600 · travel & life

HSK 4

~1,200 · fluent topics

HSK 5

~2,500 · read press, films

HSK 6

~5,000 · near-native nuance

Survival Phrases 救命句

Memorize before landing. Tap to rehearse.

Phrase	Use when
听不懂。	you're lost
请慢一点。	they speak too fast
这个用汉语怎么说？	asking for a word
多少钱？	any market
厕所在哪儿？	urgently
请帮我一下。	asking for help

Typing Chinese 输入法

You'll type far more than you handwrite — set it up right.

① Add a Pinyin IME (Windows/Mac/iOS/Android all ship with one).

② Type pinyin without tones: xuexi → 学习 appears as candidate #1.

③ Type whole phrases, not single syllables — the IME predicts better and fixes your word boundaries.

④ Don't know a character? Most IMEs support U-mode stroke input, or screenshot it into a dictionary app (Pleco).

汉语笔记 · 从零开始

The Four Tones 四声

🚨 Emergency numbers & first words

By Situation

📱 Point & Show

🪧 Signs & Notices

📲 Paying with WeChat / Alipay

🎎 Etiquette Notes

Initials · 声母 21 consonant onsets

Finals · 韵母 the vowel payloads

Read Aloud Drill tap each syllable

Self-check

The Tone Table one syllable, five lives

Sandhi Rules · 变调 tones bend in company

Say These Pairs tap to hear the sandhi

Self-check

Eight Basic Strokes · 笔画

Radicals That Pay Rent · 部首

Word Forge · 会意字 parts add up to meaning

0 → 10,000

Measure Words · 量词

Sentence Lab

Self-check

Courtesy Arsenal

Your First Dialogue

Pronoun Grid

Family Word Forge · 家人

Sentence Lab

The Big Twelve

Three Frames That Do Most of the Work

Self-check

The Master Formula

Word Forge · one character, many words

Self-check

Engine 1 · yes/no with 吗

Engine 2 · question words swap in place

Engine 3 & 4 · A-not-A and 还是

Calendar Words

The Big-to-Small Rule

Three Jobs of 的

The Split

Self-check

The Three Signals

Side by Side

The Disposal Frame

Self-check

The Passive Frame

Result Complements · V + outcome

Degree with 得 · how well?

The Nine Frames

Eight Idioms Worth Stealing

Spoken → Written Upgrades

Idioms in Action

Nine Attitude Markers

Paragraph Architecture

Classic Error Blacklist

The 30-Day Loop — repeat forever

闪卡

速查表 · Cheat Sheets

Tone Lab 声调实验室

Particles 虚词表

Measure Words 量词墙

Sentence Formulas 句型公式

Conjunctions 连词对

Stroke Order 笔顺五律

Top 100 Characters 高频百字 · tap to hear

HSK Ladder 考试地图

Survival Phrases 救命句

Typing Chinese 输入法

💾 Export / Import Progress