You know how to say “school” in Chinese. How would you say “The school is very close to my house”?
Chinesimple is Khanji School’s app for taking the next step in Mandarin Chinese. In the HSK 2 course, you’ll combine words you know with new ones to ask for directions, compare two things or talk about your family. Explanations in English help you understand how each sentence fits together.
FROM A WORD TO A SENTENCE
You might already recognise 学校 (xuéxiào), meaning “school”. In 学校离我家很近 (“The school is very close to my house”), that familiar word gives you a place to start. Read the sentence, listen to it and see if you can pick out the part that tells you how close the school is.
Other examples show you how to ask for directions or say that your sister is two years older than you. You’ll see how to use each new word in context.
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HEAR
Listen to a native speaker and try saying the whole sentence yourself. With words you already know, it’s easier to focus on the tones and recognise the words when you hear them together.
If a word trips you up, look it up in the Chinese dictionary. You’ll find its meaning, pinyin to guide your pronunciation and examples that show you how it’s used.
REVIEW THE WORDS YOU FIND TRICKY
Sometimes you understand a word when you see it, but can’t recall it when you want to say something. Make a deck of those words and practise with Chinese flashcards. Spaced repetition brings the words back for review over time.
You can also practise writing a character by following its stroke order. This can help you recognise the character when you see it in another word.
PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF
Continue with the next course module or spend a few minutes reviewing. Daily practice suggests what to work on next, and you can track what you’ve covered. Your study streak encourages you to make a little time for Chinese each day.
PREPARE FOR HSK 2
If you’re preparing for the HSK 2 exam, practise with vocabulary, sentences and exercises at this level. See what you already understand and what needs more practice.
GET STARTED
Try a sentence from the course. Listen to it, look up a word you don’t know and save it to review later. You can do it all in one app.
Ask for directions, make comparisons and talk about yourself in Chinese.