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How to Learn and Retain New Chinese Vocabulary: A Simple Tip

Learning new Chinese words can be both fun and easy with a simple approach: asking “XXX 用中文怎麼說? yòng zhōngwén zěnme shuō?” ("How do you say xxx in Chinese?"). This method helps you grow your vocabulary and remember the words better. In this blog, we’re sharing a simple tip that has helped many of our students:


Step 1: Ask “XXX用中文怎麼說? (yòng zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)”

Whenever you want to learn a new word in Chinese, simply ask “XXX 用中文怎麼說? (yòng zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)”, where “XXX” is the English word you’re trying to learn. For example, if you want to learn how to say "book," ask, "Book 用中文怎麼說? (Book yòng zhōngwén zěnme shuō?)" Then, listen for the answer and repeat the new word.


Step 2: Write the Pinyin on a Post-It Note

After learning the new word, write its pinyin (pronunciation) on a Post-It note and place it on the object in your home. If the word is "book" (書, shū), stick the note on a book. This constant visual reminder helps you see and remember the word every day.


Step 3: Only Remove the Note When You’ve Mastered It

Keep the Post-It note in place until you can confidently say the word without looking. Once you’ve mastered the word, you can remove the note and move on to the next word you want to learn.


By surrounding yourself with these notes, you create a learning environment in your home, making it easier to retain new Chinese vocabulary. Happy studying!



 

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