Learning Mandarin Chinese Is Easy. You Just Think It’s Hard

Napoleon Hill wrote in his bestselling book Think and Grow Rich, “There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.”

Do you say to yourself, “I am too old/young/fat/skinny/rich/poor/educated/uneducated/white/black/gay/straight/hairy/hairless/sheep/goat to be learning a new language [or insert any formidable-sounding thing].”

Realize this kind of negative talk is self-defeating and that you are your own worst enemy.

There doesn't need to be a huge practical reason why you need to learn a language

Spoken language itself is made to be an active communicative dialogue between two or more persons. People don't speak to each other solely because it's the hot language of the month, it's a business advantage that one needs to have, it's the only way to stand out in the piles of university applications, and so forth.

If you feel like learning Mandarin, let your heart feel it, embrace it, then do it.

Let's break down learning Mandarin, shall we?

Here are the 5 ways to get you started saying, “Ni hao ma?” instead of the usual, “Sup dawg. I'm feelin' some bao zi and bubble tea now, wanna hit up Chinatown?” Though that, of course, is also useful, naturally.

1. Tones are not limiting. You are.

Mandarin, a stress-timed language, has 4 tones whereas Cantonese, a syllable-timed language, has 6. Vietnamese has 6 tones in the North, and depending on other regions, it could have just 5. The Jul-hoan language of Africa has some 30 click consonants. There are many, many more tonal languages in the world.

So in all honesty, tones are not the real problem here. Have some faith in yourself!

Even if you completely mess up on asking where the bathroom is, the locals will probably be able to decipher bits and pieces of your jumbled Mandarin, enough to point you to the hole in the ground (squat toilets) before you pee your pants and look like a fool.

The 4 tones in Mandarin are:

Tone 1: Level Tone (ping) –> —
Tone 2: Rising Tone (shang) –> /
Tone 3: Departing Tone (qu) –> V
Tone 4: Entering/Stop-Final Tone (ru) –>

So, if I write a sentence in pinyin (the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet) to say, ‘Hi, my name is Benny. You're very pretty.' I would write it as, ‘Ni3 hao3, wo3 jiao4 Benling. Ni3 hen3 piao4 liang4.' Which, by the by, you are. Don't you just love how that worked out?

Now, what this means for you is tones matter when learning how to speak Mandarin. One word in Chinese can mean completely different things when you change the tones.

For instance, a friend of mine for her first oral examination at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), wanted to tell her teacher that she went to Wangfujing Night Market and ate fried scorpions. Verdict: try it sometime. Not as scary/creepy/disgusting as you think!

Scorpion in Mandarin is xie1 zi. But she said xie2 zi, which means shoe.

After she was done with her little conversation, she noticed her teacher had a funny look on her face. She asked, “So you went to Wangfujing and ate fried shoe?”

Oops!

Tones matter. But don't be limited by them. Have a good sense of humour and take it easy on yourself when you do mess up.

2. Know your best and favourite learning medium. Then use it and be in it.

My favourite way to learn a language, and as a result, the culture itself, is to be immersed in the country where the language originates.

Mandarin is primarily spoken in mainland China as well as Taiwan (R.O.C.). You will also notice at your city's Chinatown (if you have one) that the owners and workers there will speak either Mandarin or Cantonese, usually.

What is your favourite learning medium?

Are you a classroom-textbook-contextual-teacher-student learner? Perhaps signing up for Mandarin classes at your local community college is a good option.

Are you a one-on-one private learner? Perhaps finding a tutor to speak Mandarin with is a viable option.

Are you a drop-me-on-the-Great-Wall-from-a-helicopter-and-see-if-I-survive type of person? Aka deep and immediate immersion? Then perhaps living in China (or Taiwan) is a preferred option.

You know yourself best. You also know how you learn new languages the best.

And even if you don't, try out all the various learning methods out there. See what works. It's never too late to start learning a new language in whatever medium you prefer. Never.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Like with any challenges in life, it takes time and habitual practice in order to overcome immersion challenges and thrive on your success over it.

The practice of speaking Mandarin does not need to be like pulling teeth.

You can practice speaking by:

a. Hanging out with your Chinese friends and asking them to speak Chinese with you. Even a 5-minute conversation with simple greetings is better than nothing. A good friend who doesn't mind speaking with you is all you really need. Treat him/her to a simple meal or bubble tea, chat it up for a while, and if you do that enough times, you may start to realize you can speak more than you thought you could.

b. Going to Chinatown and eating at the local restaurants there. You know the ones. It's the places with menus all in Chinese and nothing is in English. Most of the patrons are Chinese folks too. These places are usually good options and have tastier, more authentic foods. Go there.

c. Watching Chinese movies or TV shows. Though I don't watch TV, this is one of the best ways to continually hear Chinese being spoken. You need to hear it, hear the proper tones, hear it in context to the storyline and in relation to the human connections being made, in order to really encompass more of the language as a whole. Just reading about Chinese won't make you start speaking it like a native. You need to hear it too.

d. Listening to Chinese songs. I listen to some of my favourite Chinese/Taiwanese artists because I think Chinese is really beautiful. You can learn a lot by listening to popular Chinese songs. On top of that, try karaoke! Don't let embarrassment of messing up or your frog-like voice prevent you from a fun evening out with a small group of friends at the local Chinese karaoke bar. It's truly entertaining and a great way to learn the language.

e. Teaching English while living in China or Taiwan. Many foreigners enjoy teaching English in these places, where they are supported by the organization or school they are teaching for, as well as taking Chinese classes all the while. This is a great way to combine immersion in the country while still supporting yourself. Various programs abound, depending on the city/province/country you want to teach at. Google ‘Teach English in China' or ‘Teach English in Taiwan' and start your research from there. On top of that, ask your friends who've done it for their opinions, experiences, thoughts about it. But don't let their views solely determine your decision to apply and go. Do it only if you want to do it.

f. Visiting and travelling throughout China or Taiwan. Absolutely fun and a wonderful way to experience the country itself, backpacking through China or Taiwan will leave you wanting more. Besides being forced to speak Mandarin (most locals do not speak English and even if they did, it can be quite broken and minimal), realize that simply by being in the local element, you are already learning, every single minute, every single day.

It's a process, not a destination. You're not aiming to speak perfect Mandarin so you can be an interpreter for the United Nations or a secret agent for the CIA (unless you really are trying for that, in which case, cool!). You're aiming to experience Chinese in all its majestic beauty, language, food, people, culture and all.

4. Never, EVER stop learning.

The moment you stop learning is the moment you start dying.

People mistake learning for what they did while in formal education. This is a short-sighted viewpoint, for learning is a daily process, a daily activity, a daily habit, a daily exploration and discovery.

Your thirst for knowledge is only secondary to what the knowledge contains. And that is, the potential POWER it has to transform your life, your world.

Learning Mandarin is no exception.

There is always room for improvement, sure. But is that all we aim for? To have absolute perfect tone, pitch, accent? Or is it to feel at one with the language? To feel comfortable speaking it, conversing with the locals?

Learn by doing. Learn by trying. Learn by making mistakes but not letting those mistakes stop you from continuing on.

Once you believe you can't do something, can't speak Mandarin without sounding like a bumbling tone-deaf idiot, once you believe in this defeating self-failure, you won't ever be able to grow, you won't ever be able to learn.

5. Empty Your Head. I Am Ready to Pour.

I am reminded of a beautiful Zen tale which I want to share with you here:

Once upon a time, there lived a Zen master named Nansen.

There also lived a professor of philosophy and he was walking wearily in his travels and came across Nansen's cottage.

Nansen invited the professor into his home and said, “Wait a little.”

The professor looked to be in a hurry, but Nansen said, “I will prepare tea for you. You look tired. Wait a little, rest a little and have a cup of tea. And then we can discuss.”

Nansen started boiling the water and at the same time looked over to the professor. While the water was boiling, he saw the professor was boiling within, too.

Not only was the teakettle making sounds as the water boiled, the professor was making more sounds within, chattering and continuously talking. The professor was preparing himself — what to ask, how to ask and from where to begin.

Nansen smiled to himself while watching the professor and thought, “This man is too full, so much so that nothing can enter him. The answer cannot be given because there is no one to receive it. The guest cannot enter into the house — there is no room.”

Out of compassion, Nansen wanted to become a guest in this professor. He knocks from everywhere but there is no door. And even if he breaks down a door, there is no room. The professor was so full, he cannot even enter within himself. He sits outside of his own being, just on the steps, unable to enter.

Nansen poured the tea into the cup. The professor became uneasy as Nansen continuously poured the tea into the cup. It was overflowing; soon, it would be spilling onto the floor.

The professor then said, “Stop! What are you doing? This cup cannot hold any more tea, not even a single drop. Are you mad? What are you doing?”

Nansen smiled at the professor and replied, “The same is the case with you. You are so alert to observe and become aware that the cup is full and cannot hold any more, why are you not so aware about your own self? You are overflowing with opinions, philosophies, doctrines, scriptures. You know too much already; I cannot give you anything. You have travelled in vain. Before coming to me you should have emptied your cup, then I could pour something into it.”

What Nansen was saying to the professor was, “Empty your head. I am ready to pour.”

Do not assume you know everything. Do not assume you know anything until you've tried things out yourself.

You learn through trial and error, through experiments, through experiencing, through self-exploration. Empty your head with preconceived notions of what learning Mandarin ought to be, so that you can fully receive.

Leave all judgments at the door. Leave all criticisms where you found them. Take up nothing from your past so that you are ready to receive in full in the present.

This is how you learn. This is how Mandarin is actually easy, rather than difficult. This is why you can and WILL do it.

I believe in you. Do you?

学习汉语益处很多，这似乎是公认的。初学汉语时，除了遇到羡慕的目光、称许的点头，我还总是听到同样的话语：“你做得对。”学习世界上13亿人使用的语言，其用处显而易见，然而，学习汉语的本质何在？我又如何有权称之为“有用”呢？

我住在约翰内斯堡，上学的地方离家很远。回家的时候，我总喜欢看看这个城市在我外出求学时所发生的变化。有一天，我正在开车，突然发现路边一栋17层高的大楼拔地而起，顶上写着“中钢广场”。这栋建筑说明中国的机构已经近在咫尺。

头脑里映现出中国这个迅速发展的亚洲国家。我一边驶过数家大银行的总部大楼，一边开始思索。当时，中国工商银行以360亿兰特收购南非标准银行股份的消息风起云涌，接二连三地又从斯泰伦博斯的中国研究中心传来消息，详述中非关系，强调重大的跨国交易。这些消息有力地证实了关于中国经济繁荣的种种猜测。一时间，所有关于中国的传闻更为真实了。我想到了自己学习汉语的下一目标：当时，我已掌握了一些简单会话，或许该深入钻研一些商用汉语了。到家时，我还在苦苦思索。坐在沙发上，打开电脑，发现这个闪烁的机器背后的不起眼处有个标签：“Made in China”。

不过，经济繁荣绝非我踏上纷繁复杂的汉语学习之旅的主因。中国及其语言另有奥妙，那种奥妙难以言表。我觉得我的选择可以更多地归因于与中国的缘分。像很多西方人一样，我对汉语的兴趣源于对东方莫名的向往。

在学习汉语的课程中，我最感兴趣的是书法。书法中，汉字笔画错综精致，语句优美，堪称艺术佳作（后来，我从《华尔街日报》上得知，练习书法有助于提高认知能力和记忆力）。解读汉语更无异于阅读成百上千个小故事，因为汉语的意思潜藏在单个汉字里（这些汉字都是一些表意符号）。举例来说，汉字中的“好”是个象形文字，表示母亲和孩子相依相偎。中国人认为，母亲的慈爱所营造的和谐即是他们理想的“好”。这就是汉字背后的故事。汉语吸引我的还有口语的练习，其中包括学到的第一个词、连缀起来的第一句话以及背诵的第一个段落。

生活中有了汉语，是一件很好玩儿的事情。每个夜晚我都练习说汉语，一练就是好几个小时。握笔在手，奋笔疾书，这门拥有3000多年历史的文字跃然纸上。每当此刻，我就意识到，我不是在背一个词，而是在保存一种文化。

如今中国在世界经济上排名第二，人口第一，而其历史十分悠久。这样一个国家的语言是独一无二的。学习汉语是走进历史，也是学习一门艺术；是一个战略举措，也是一场无法言说的热恋；是认识上的历练，也是获取环球视野的必由之路。作为一名敏锐的观察家、热心的记者和激情澎湃的辩手，我从很多角度亲身感受了中国和中国语言。对我而言，学习汉语是所有的一切，但最重要的，它是一趟旅行。

以前只知道英语有四。六级考试，从来不知道有普通话考试，来到这个学校才知道，毕业还必须通过普通话考试才可以拿到毕业证，学习普通话的心得体会。是呀，身为一名教师，就必须用标准的普通话教书育人。

通过学习感受颇多，学习普通话不是一件容易的事情，对于方言较重的人来说，由于舌头已经习惯了方言的发音，前鼻音和后鼻音不分，舌前音和舌后音不分，俗读音与普通话读音更不一致。我在实践中总结出几点心得体会，在这里拿出来同朋友们共享，心得体会。

首先多听、多说、多问，勤听普通话广播和收看新闻类节目，这类节目一般都是使用标准的普通话，通过经常性的收听和收看，对学习普通话有很大的帮助，这是一种拓展的学习方法。平日里我们不要错过机会。

然后就是勤查字典。有些字，摸棱两可就需要查查字典，（别嫌费事），把它的拼音弄清楚，尤其要注意一些字的多音与多义，这样才能发音准确。

最后一个比较深刻的体会就是坚持用普通话进行日常会话。有人说：语言取决于环境。在一个大家都说普通话的环境中，耳濡目染，近朱必赤。即使你方音浓重，逐渐你也会受其感染。

在没有上语音课以前，我一直以为自己的普通话还可以，但随着一节一节语音课的进行，我才渐渐发现原来自己的普通话在很多方面存在的问题都太多太多。

对于老师，在老师给我们上第一堂课时，我就被老师那种独特的气质吸引住了，有时甚至会情不自禁的想我为何如此幸运，会在这位老师的课堂上学习。给我印象最深的是不在迫不得已的情况下是不会让别的老师帮忙代课的，因为她说：“让其他老师帮忙代课，我实在不放心”。这可能让不知情的人听了会产生一定的误会，但我觉得这既体现了老师对自己学生的负责也体现了她对自己的自信，我十分赞同和佩服老师的这种做法。

除了老师的人格魅力让我钦佩外，老师的授课方式也特别值得我们肯定。记忆中，在课堂上老师很少笑，总是以一副严肃的表情面对我们，也对我们比较严格。可是奇怪的是这并没有让我有觉得反感，反而听的特别认真。

在本期语音课中，老师完全没有用照本宣科的教学方式，她拥有一套完全属于自己的教学课件和方法，使人有种不愿听都不行的冲动。

第一、老师的课件做的特别好。页面简洁而优雅真可谓不媚不俗，课件的内容也相当全面实用，至少我是这样认为。因为它展示的都是十分重要的知识，没有泛泛而谈的话外语。从第一章的“语音基础知识”到最后一章的“儿化音”，老师讲的课件内容都那么的一丝不苟，完善而不冗杂，让我觉得听这堂课实在是在接受知识的过程中享受而非煎熬。

第二、老师特别注重我们的正确发音方式。从气息，开口，唇，舌等各个发音器官的部位进行给我们进行语音的纠正和标准化。通过这部分内容的学习，我在发音器官部位上得到了很大的规范和改进，也学习到了一些正确的发音方式和技巧，同时更使我意识到自己在初学发音时很多地方都偷懒了，从而导致一直以来在语言发音上的恶性循环。不过值得庆幸的是能在本期的语音课上得到及时的纠正。

第三、课堂语音练习。老师也很重视我们的课堂实践练习，因为老师明白学生们课后自觉练习是很没有保证的。而且其练习方式也很注意侧重点，很有针对性。比如对于方言音纠正，就找相应地方的同学来读，这样既纠正了同学们的方音，又给同学们做了方音示范；对于鼻边音平翘舌等发音的练习，老师就会用一些相应的典型词组、绕口令等让我们练习；有时针对轻声儿化音等发音的练习，老师又会用一些比较典型的段落、小故事等材料等等来让大家得到一定的体验和练习。总之，练习材料不仅简单有趣而且典型，真的让我感叹。

第四、课间语音播放。老师也充分利用起我们的课间十分钟，她在课间总会给我们播放一段十分钟左右的文章，这些文章不仅让我们在心灵上得到了充实，而且在纠正语音上也起到一定的作用。课间的语音播放是不是要听，完全有我们自己决定，但值得高兴的是大多同学都在听，相信如此轻松而愉悦的学习方式，实在让人没有理由拒绝吧。

第五、课后练习。在这一点上老师并没有十分的强调，但我觉得如果是真的是认真听了老师的课的同学，这课后的练习不用老师提醒，我们就已经会不自觉的要主动进行了。因为既然学到的知识那么有用而且实际，不运用都不可能呢。

说实话，在没有开始写这份心得体会时，我想真的没什么可以写的。但当我执笔开始在纸上时，老师给我忙完了上课的一幅幅画面就很自然地浮现在我眼前，内心还有一种很奇妙的激动。通过以上的总结，我猛然觉得吴老师真的太神奇了，那课堂上的一言一行都多么轻易自然的让我深深地记住，让我一想她就会有滔滔不绝的感慨，不仅仅只是不愧为人师表，老师无论是个人修养，还是那由内而外的气质，甚或是其对工作的尽职尽责都可谓难得。

当然，每个人都不可能时十全十美的，可能因为只是在课堂上才能和吴老师有所接触，课堂上老师总是一副严肃表情，我常在想要是老师能多笑笑会更有亲和力，那么老师又会是另一种风格站在我们面前，应该授课效果也很好吧。

总之，我觉得本期的《普通话》课对于我个人而言是十分必要的，而且能在吴老师的课堂上学习，我更是毫无意见了。通过本期的语音课的学习，我最大的感受就是，现在终于能分辨普通话的发音了，也能大致辨别的说话者普通话的水平，我很高兴。但一想到自己的普通话二级甲等都还没有过，心里还是有点担忧，很希望通过本期的语音课学习后，在下次的普通话测试中能顺利通过。

一学期又转眼即逝《普通话》课程也随之告一段落，课程虽然不算多，但老师和老师给我们讲的课，都让我从中学到了不少知识，不管是在做人还是语音知识方面都让我很有收获，终生受益。

普通话作为汉语的官方发音在全国范围进行推广。作为师范学校的学生，学习普通话是一项十分重要的任务。因为学校是推广普通话的前沿阵地，甚至可以说是主战场，而老师则是这个阵地或战场的指挥官，所以作为老师，学习好普通话是十分重要的。可是，对于方言口音较重的人来说，由于舌头已经习惯了方言的发音，前鼻音和后鼻音不分，舌前音和舌后音不分，俗读音和普通话读音不一致等，学习普通话并不是一件很轻松的事情。

肃清方言语推广普通话东升镇兆龙小学黄锦源世界各国都有着自己国家的统一语言，这是国家的声誉和尊严，实现祖国统一语言是社会发展、进步的必不可少的工具，推广普通话，实现祖国统一语言，具有深远的历史意义。

但是，在我们祖国五十多个小数民族的大国里，地方语言“土话”多如牛毛，方言复杂，这给我们实现祖国统一语言带来严重的影响，也成为实现祖国统一语言的绊脚石。肃清粤方言是语言改革的一种翻天覆地的变化大改革，是早日实现全国统一语言的一项重要任务。推广普通话，实现祖国统一语言，是爱国主义的重要内容，使用普通话是热爱社会主义的具体表现。

推广普通话，从小抓起，从学校抓起。为此，我们学校把肃清粤方言实现普通话教学纳入教学新课题来抓。在这项教学中，我们成立研究小组，由校长担任组长，带领全体老师开展工作，经过反复的学习、讨论和研究，大家统一思想，统一认识、统一步骤。从师生在日常生活实际中的所见所闻入手，去了解、分析方言土语的存在所发生弊病。师生通过了解、分析，加深对推广普通话的重要意义的认识。

以我们中山为例，各个镇区的方言不同：东升人说“回家”谐音叫“扯返去”；古镇人说“回家”谐音叫“欢屋k”；石歧人说“回家”谐音叫“返屋企”；沙溪人说“回家”谐音叫“典客”。真是各处村乡各种话，说法、口音、语气差异之大。如果把他们的土方言叫法用语言文字写出来，所表达的意思不知到是什么，难以体现语言和文字的共性。

又如，随着改革开放的深入发展，各族人民的交际范围越来越广，北方来打工的人越来越多了，南方人到北方做生意的人也越来越多了，由于南北双方的语言不同，所以在共同的生活交际中，闹出不少的笑话来：一个南方老农卖甘蔗，大叫八毛钱“一斤”（gen）一位北方顾客给了八毛钱老农，拿了“一根”甘蔗就走，老农见状，追上去把甘蔗夺了回来，于是，两人就理论起来了。如果大家都用自己的“土话”来发言、讨论或交际，结果是鸡同鸭讲，对牛弹琴，你讲你的，我听我的。

这样，如何去沟通呢？这些方言土语往往引起双方的误会，甚至产生矛盾和争斗。严重地危害语言文字的统一性，影响了社会的和谐发展。综上所述，在我们广东，肃清粤方言土语有其迫切性和必要性。在肃清粤方言专题活动中，我们学校把普通话列入校园用语和日常生活用语来抓，要求师生在校内、外坚持讲好普通话。

特别是在学校里，无论是教学或是回答问题，交谈或讨论都要使用普通话，成为一种制度，要互相监督，发现一方不使用普通话时，另一方要及时指出纠正。以点带面，要求学生回到家里，向父母宣传讲普通话的意义，教自己的父母学习讲普通话，使普通话从学校深入到农村，由农村普及到社会，家喻户晓。

大家都讲普通话，人人讲好普通话是一项任中而道远的工作，在今后的不断教育教学工作中，我们学校的全体师生，将不懈努力，为实现祖国统一语言——推行普通话献出应有的力量。