Chinese learning articles from SenMandarin. Read subscription instructions at /article-feed/.https://www.senmandarin.com/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gang-vs-ganggang-vs-gangcai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gang-vs-ganggang-vs-gangcai/Compare 刚、刚刚 and 刚才 for recent events, and learn which can act as a time expression on its own.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/hsk-3-0-vs-2-0/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/hsk-3-0-vs-2-0/Compare old and new HSK vocabulary, levels, handwriting and speaking. Understand the 2026 transition and choose materials for your actual test.Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/stop-saying-ni-hao-ma-every-time/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/stop-saying-ni-hao-ma-every-time/Learn when 你好, 最近怎么样 and 你还好吗 fit a conversation, with Chinese examples, pinyin and natural English translations.Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/song-vs-ji-vs-fa-3-ways-to-say-send-in-chinese/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/song-vs-ji-vs-fa-3-ways-to-say-send-in-chinese/Compare 送, 寄 and 发 for gifts, postal delivery and messages. Learn common patterns through Chinese examples, pinyin and English.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/why-chinese-people-say-yixia-so-much/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/why-chinese-people-say-yixia-so-much/See how 一下 makes actions brief and requests softer. Compare it with 一会儿 and verb reduplication, with Chinese examples and pinyin.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dandu-vs-duzi/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dandu-vs-duzi/Compare doing something separately or alone with doing it by oneself, and avoid assuming either word always implies loneliness.Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/ordering-food-in-chinese/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/ordering-food-in-chinese/Prepare for questions about portions, spice, dining in and taking food away when ordering in Chinese.Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-word-order-time-and-place/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-word-order-time-and-place/Practice placing time and location before the action in Chinese, while distinguishing an action's location from its destination.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shoushi-vs-zhengli-vs-dasao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shoushi-vs-zhengli-vs-dasao/Choose between putting things away, organizing them and cleaning a space with 收拾、整理 and 打扫.Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-lai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-lai/Explore 来 beyond physical movement, including offers, requests and useful patterns in everyday conversation.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/huaile-sile-jile/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/huaile-sile-jile/Compare strong degree expressions with 坏了、死了 and 极了, including their tone, restrictions and literal meanings.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/buhaoyisi-bukeqi-meiguanxi/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/buhaoyisi-bukeqi-meiguanxi/Choose polite Chinese responses according to the situation instead of translating sorry, thanks and you're welcome word for word.Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-man/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-man/Use 蛮 to express a conversational degree such as pretty or quite, and recognize common regional and stylistic differences.Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/baohan-vs-baokuo/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/baohan-vs-baokuo/Compare 包含 for what something contains with 包括 for members of a group, and recognize contexts where both work.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/20-chinese-hand-action-verbs/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/20-chinese-hand-action-verbs/Learn Chinese verbs for pressing, twisting, grabbing, stirring and other hand movements, with useful phrases and examples.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/xiangnian-vs-huainian/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/xiangnian-vs-huainian/Compare missing a person or place with remembering the past with affection or nostalgia.Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/queding-vs-jueding/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/queding-vs-jueding/Distinguish being sure or confirming a fact from making a decision about what to do.Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/eight-chinese-conversation-particles/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/eight-chinese-conversation-particles/Explore eight small words that shape the tone of Chinese conversation, with examples of how context changes their effect.Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kao-vs-ping/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kao-vs-ping/Compare relying on support with acting on a basis such as evidence or qualifications, and learn the physical uses of 靠.Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/liaojie-vs-lijie/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/liaojie-vs-lijie/Compare knowing facts about someone or something with understanding meaning, reasons and feelings.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-guaibude/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-guaibude/Use 怪不得 when a newly discovered reason explains something you noticed, and compare it with 难怪.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/benlai-vs-yuanlai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/benlai-vs-yuanlai/Compare an original plan or situation with a newly discovered fact, and learn where 本来 and 原来 overlap.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shenme-de-and-stuff-like-that/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shenme-de-and-stuff-like-that/Learn how 什么的 follows examples to mean things like that, and why it is different from a question with 什么.Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jixu-lianxu-chixu/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jixu-lianxu-chixu/Compare continuing an action, doing things consecutively and a situation lasting over time.Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-sha-means/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-sha-means/Recognize 啥 in casual questions and expressions, and learn when 什么 is a better choice for the situation.Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/two-uses-of-yinggai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/two-uses-of-yinggai/Distinguish 应该 for advice or obligation from 应该 for an expectation or reasonable guess.Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yi-jiu-as-soon-as/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yi-jiu-as-soon-as/Learn how 一……就…… connects closely following actions or regular reactions, with past, future and habitual examples.Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhaobudao-vs-zhaobuzhao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhaobudao-vs-zhaobuzhao/Compare two everyday ways to say that you cannot find something, with attention to result complements and pronunciation.Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/english-habits-in-chinese/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/english-habits-in-chinese/Recognize seven English habits that can make Chinese sound unnatural, and practice more natural alternatives.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-verb-reduplication/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-verb-reduplication/Use verb reduplication for brief, light or tentative actions, and learn when 看看 and 看一看 are natural.Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/women-vs-zanmen/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/women-vs-zanmen/Learn how 咱们 usually includes the listener and how the meaning of 我们 depends on who is speaking to whom.Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/guize-vs-guiju/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/guize-vs-guiju/Compare formal rules with expected conduct and customs, and learn how 规矩 can also describe behavior.Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/experiential-particle-guo/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/experiential-particle-guo/Learn how 过 describes past experience, how to ask experience questions, and how it differs from 了.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-man-zou-means/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-man-zou-means/Learn when 慢走 is a polite farewell, when it literally means to walk slowly, and how to respond naturally.Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yinggai-dei-bixu-yao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yinggai-dei-bixu-yao/Compare advice, practical necessity, firm requirements and contextual obligation with 应该、得、必须 and 要.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kan-kanjian-kandao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kan-kanjian-kandao/Distinguish looking from successfully seeing, and compare the overlapping result expressions 看见 and 看到.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-o/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-o/Explore how 哦 signals understanding, surprise or a reminder, and why its conversational meaning depends on intonation.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-chabuduo-means/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/what-chabuduo-means/Understand the different everyday meanings of 差不多 through context, examples and common misunderstandings.Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/weile-for-purpose/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/weile-for-purpose/Learn where 为了 belongs in a sentence, what can follow it, and how it differs from explaining a cause.Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhengzai-zheng-zai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhengzai-zheng-zai/Compare three ways to describe an action in progress, including their emphasis, combinations and restrictions.Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jinlai-vs-jinqu/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jinlai-vs-jinqu/Use 来 and 去 to describe direction relative to a reference point, including movement and bringing objects somewhere.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shi-you-zai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shi-you-zai/Choose 是 for identification, 有 for possession or existence, and 在 for location, with their natural negative forms.Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-suibian/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-suibian/Understand 随便 in offers, permission, careless actions and firm restrictions instead of translating every use as whatever.Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/ba-vs-bei/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/ba-vs-bei/Compare 把 and 被 constructions to see how the same event can focus on an affected object or what happens to a person or thing.Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-le/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-le/Understand 了 through completed events and changed situations instead of treating it as a simple past-tense marker.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zuoyou-vs-dayue/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zuoyou-vs-dayue/Compare 左右 and 大约 for approximate numbers, times and quantities, and learn where each expression belongs.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-meishi/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-meishi/Use 没事 to reassure someone, respond to an apology, describe being fine or say that you have nothing to do.Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bu-zenme-vs-bu-zenmeyang/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bu-zenme-vs-bu-zenmeyang/Distinguish 不怎么 before a verb or adjective from 不怎么样 as an evaluation meaning not very good.Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jihua-vs-dasuan/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/jihua-vs-dasuan/Compare a structured plan with a personal intention, and practice the noun and verb uses of 计划 and 打算.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gaoxing-kaixin-kuaile-xingfu/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gaoxing-kaixin-kuaile-xingfu/Choose words for a happy reaction, enjoyment, general happiness or a fulfilling life according to the situation.Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/16-essential-chinese-adverbs/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/16-essential-chinese-adverbs/Learn sixteen common adverbs, where they belong in a sentence, and how they change the meaning of everyday Chinese.Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/choosing-hsk-study-materials/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/choosing-hsk-study-materials/Choose HSK preparation materials that match your test version, target level and learning needs, and build a balanced study plan.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/duo-and-shao-before-verbs/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/duo-and-shao-before-verbs/Use 多 and 少 before verbs to suggest doing more or less, with examples such as 多喝水 and 少吃糖.Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/fangshi-vs-fangfa/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/fangshi-vs-fangfa/Distinguish a manner or mode of doing something from a method used to solve a problem or reach a goal.Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/neng-ma-rhetorical-questions/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/neng-ma-rhetorical-questions/Distinguish genuine questions from rhetorical uses of 能……吗 and 能不……吗 through context and everyday examples.Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chaoguo-vs-chaoyue/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chaoguo-vs-chaoyue/Compare exceeding a number, limit or person with going beyond an achievement, restriction or established boundary.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dei-for-must/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dei-for-must/Learn the děi reading of 得 for necessity, its common spoken uses, and how to choose a natural negative form.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/de-liao-and-bu-liao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/de-liao-and-bu-liao/Learn how 得了 and 不了 express whether an action is manageable, and compare them with other potential complements.Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/diu-vs-reng/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/diu-vs-reng/Distinguish losing something from throwing it away, and compare the overlapping uses of 丢 and 扔.Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shuimian-shuijiao-shuizhao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/shuimian-shuijiao-shuizhao/Compare sleep as a noun, sleeping as an activity and falling asleep as a result, with common patterns and pronunciation.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-basic-word-order/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-basic-word-order/Build basic Chinese sentences with subjects, verbs and objects, then add time, location and destinations in natural order.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/hao-ma-keyi-ma-zenmeyang-xing-ma/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/hao-ma-keyi-ma-zenmeyang-xing-ma/Compare four common ways to ask for agreement, permission or an opinion in everyday Chinese conversations.Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bujiande-vs-buyiding/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bujiande-vs-buyiding/Compare 不见得 and 不一定 for uncertainty and disagreement, including differences in emphasis and tone.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-connectors/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chinese-connectors/Connect ideas with common Chinese conjunctions for addition, contrast, cause, conditions and concession.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bingqie-vs-bing/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bingqie-vs-bing/Learn how 并且 and 并 link information, why they do not replace every English and, and how 并 works in negative sentences.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yihou-ranhou-houlai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yihou-ranhou-houlai/Use 以后 for a later time, 然后 for the next step and 后来 for a later development in a past story.Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chuangli-chuangban-chuangjian/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chuangli-chuangban-chuangjian/Choose natural Chinese verbs for founding an organization, starting an institution or creating a project and structure.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-ma/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/the-particle-ma/Explore how 嘛 presents a reason as obvious, softens persuasion or emphasizes an attitude in everyday conversation.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chongxin-vs-zai/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chongxin-vs-zai/Distinguish doing something again from doing it afresh, with examples for requests, revised plans and repeated actions.Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yaobushi-if-it-werent-for/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yaobushi-if-it-werent-for/Use 要不是 to imagine how things would be different without an actual circumstance, and compare it with 如果不是.Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kongpa-vs-haipa/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/kongpa-vs-haipa/Separate expressing fear with 害怕 from making a cautious prediction or delivering unwelcome news with 恐怕.Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-dao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/five-uses-of-dao/Explore 到 for destinations, time limits and achieved results, with clear distinctions between common sentence patterns.Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dao-for-contrast/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/dao-for-contrast/Use the adverb 倒 for unexpected contrasts, corrections and concessions, and distinguish it from other readings of 倒.Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/alternatives-to-hen-hao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/alternatives-to-hen-hao/Choose more specific Chinese expressions for praise, agreement, encouragement and descriptions of how things are going.Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chao-xiang-wang/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/chao-xiang-wang/Compare 朝、向 and 往 for direction and movement, and learn why they are not interchangeable in every context.Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gancui-vs-zhijie/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/gancui-vs-zhijie/Distinguish a decisive choice from acting without an intermediate step when choosing between 干脆 and 直接.Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/deng-and-dengdeng/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/deng-and-dengdeng/Use 等 and 等等 after examples, distinguish open lists from complete lists, and avoid common word-order mistakes.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-gancui/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-gancui/Learn how 干脆 introduces a decisive choice, how it describes directness, and why it does not always mean simply or directly.Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yao-vs-xiang/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/yao-vs-xiang/Compare 想 for wishes and intentions with 要 for a decision, need or request, while paying attention to context.Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-quan/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-quan/Learn how 全 expresses the whole of something or all members of a group, and compare its placement with 都.Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/quefa-vs-queshao/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/quefa-vs-queshao/Compare 缺乏 and 缺少 for lack or shortage, with examples showing their common objects and sentence patterns.Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bai-wasted-effort/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/bai-wasted-effort/Learn how 白 before a verb can express wasted effort or getting something for free, and distinguish these uses in context.Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhenxi-vs-aixi/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/zhenxi-vs-aixi/Choose between valuing a precious opportunity or relationship and taking good care of something you value.Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/baocun-vs-baoliu/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/baocun-vs-baoliu/Compare keeping something safe or storing it with retaining something instead of removing or changing it.Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-chabuduo/https://www.senmandarin.com/articles/how-to-use-chabuduo/Use 差不多 for similarity, approximate amounts and near completion, with examples showing how the meanings connect.Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT