Mandarin Learning Tips Blog

Pierre Cerchiaro

Pierre Cerchiaro is a contributing writer at TutorABC Chinese. He is a French expat working in Taiwan and has had both studying experience in China and Taiwan. He is passionate about the Chinese language and is a foodaholic.

Recent Posts

15 most common Chinese quotes and proverbs to level up your Mandarin skills

Pierre Cerchiaro | November 20, 2019

There's nothing like a Chinese proverb to learn Chinese. Chinese proverbs are short, easy to remember, and reflect the philosophy and art of living in the Chinese way. The use of Chinese proverbs allows you to create a real connection with your Chinese friends, and to make yourself 100% understood.

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Useful Chinese Vocabulary Words to Describe Your Daily Routine

Pierre Cerchiaro | September 23, 2019

Being able to describe your daily routine or daily activities in Mandarin Chinese shows that you’ve passed one step from the beginner level to the intermediate one. If you still struggle at using commonly expressions in Chinese to describe your daily habits, don’t worry, this article has been made for you.

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How to Use the Verb “To Be” in Chinese?

Pierre Cerchiaro | September 09, 2019

In terms of verbs, Mandarin Chinese is way easier than English. There are no conjugations or no tenses. However, some verbs are not used the same way we use it when speaking English or other foreign languages.

In this article, we’ll see the different ways of using “to be” in Chinese

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How Many Chinese Characters Are There and How Many Should You Learn?

Pierre Cerchiaro | July 28, 2019

The Chinese writing system has undergone more than five thousand years of evolution and transformation, which has brought with it new sinograms and variants. While some dictionaries can list more than 80,000 characters (85,568 for 中华字海 Zhōnghuà Zìhǎi, published in 1994 and up to 106,230 for 异体字字典 Yìtǐzì Zìdiǎn published in 2004), most dictionaries include between 5,000 and 6,000 characters.

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5 Best websites and APPs to learn Chinese online

Pierre Cerchiaro | June 10, 2019

Finding time to learn Chinese can be really complicated, especially when you have to combine it with work, studies, leisure, and other things important to you. Fortunately, we live in an era where technology is now part of our daily life, and where Chinese-teaching materials can be found directly on our personal devices.

I studied Mandarin at university, so I used to have Chinese classes almost every day. After graduating, I decided to continue to study it by myself. In this article, I will share with you all the apps and websites I am using on a regular basis to strengthen my Mandarin skills, from reading and writing to listening and speaking.

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